We report a study of magnetic dynamics in multiferroic hexagonal manganite
HoMnO3 by far-infrared spectroscopy. Low-temperature magnetic excitation
spectrum of HoMnO3 consists of magnetic-dipole transitions of Ho ions within
the crystal-field split J=8 manifold and of the triangular antiferromagnetic
resonance of Mn ions. We determine the effective spin Hamiltonian for the Ho
ion ground state. The magnetic-field splitting of the Mn antiferromagnetic
resonance allows us to measure the magnetic exchange coupling between the
rare-earth and Mn ions.Comment: accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter