Neutron Diffraction Study of Manganese Ferrite

Abstract

Neutron diffraction patterns have been obtained for polycrystalline Mn${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The fraction of tetrahedral sites occupied by ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{+2}$ has been found to be 0.81\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03, indicating that Mn${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ has very nearly the normal spinel structure. The value 0.3846\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0003 has been assigned to the space group parameter $u$. The observed magnetic scattering is consistent with the N\'eel model and with the measured saturation moment.