Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

New Spin Structure in an Amorphous Ferric Gel

Nature volume 246, pages 476–478 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

AMORPHOUS materials have no preferred crystal axes, but it might be thought that shape or strain could define an antiferromagnetic axis in a compound containing a large concentration of magnetic ions with negative nearest-neighbour exchange interactions. We have studied such an amorphous compound, and find an ordered state where spins are coupled with their directions statistically distributed within a very fine particle. This spin structure is quite different from normal antiferromagnetism, although there are some similarities in the magnetic properties.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Landa, E. R., and Gast, R. G., Clays Clay Minerals, 21, 121 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. van der Giessen, A. A., Philips Res. Repts, Suppl., 12 (1968).

  3. Greenwood, N. N., and Gibb, T. C., Mössbauer Spectroscopy, 66 (Chapman and Hall, London, 1971).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  4. Mulay, L. N., and Selwood, P. W., J. Am. chem. Soc., 77, 2693 (1955).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Beck, P. A., Metall. Trans., 2, 2015 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Beck, P. A., Symp. Magnetism in Alloys, Boston 1972, 211 (Metall. Soc. AIME, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Coles, B. R., Amorphous Magnetism (edit. by Hooper, H. O., and de Graaf, A. M.), 169 (Plenum Press, New York, 1973).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  8. Petitt, G. A., and Forester, D. W., Phys. Rev., B 4, 3912 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Coey, J. M. D., Phys. Rev. Lett., 27, 1140 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Morrish, A. H., and Clark, P. E., Proc. int. Conf. Magnetism, Moscow 1973 (in the press).

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. W. READMAN

    Present address: Department of Geophysics, University of Edinburgh, 6 South Oswald Road, Edinburgh, EH9 2HX

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Transitions de Phases, CNRS, Grenoble

    J. M. D. COEY

  2. Laboratoire de Magnétisme, CNRS, Grenoble

    P. W. READMAN

Authors
  1. J. M. D. COEY
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. W. READMAN
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

COEY, J., READMAN, P. New Spin Structure in an Amorphous Ferric Gel. Nature 246, 476–478 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/246476a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/246476a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing