Electronic and Magnetic Structure of Double-Perovskite Sr2FeMoO6 Characterized by Neutron Scattering and X-Ray Spectroscopy

Abstract

Electronic and magnetic structures of a polycrystalline Sr2FeMoO6 double-perovskite have been studied by employing neutron powder diffraction (NPD) and X-ray spectroscopy. The Fe 2p edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) clearly exhibits Fe2+-Fe3+ mixed valence states. Small but considerable local spin magnetic moments at Mo sites were observed in both neutron scattering and site-specific X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements. The mixed valence states by XAS and consistently observed nonnegligible magnetic moment by NPD and XMCD confirm the electronic and magnetic structures of Sr2FeMoO6 which have been controversial thus far.