Separation of the magnetic phases at the N\'{e}el point in the diluted spin-Peierls magnet CuGeO3

Abstract

The impurity induced antiferromagnetic ordering of the doped spin-Peierls magnet Cu(1-x)Mg(x)GeO(3) was studied by ESR technique. Crystals with the Mg concentration x<4% demonstrate a coexistence of paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic ESR modes. This coexistence indicates the separation of a macroscopically uniform sample in the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases. In the presence of the long-range spin-Peierls order (in a sample with x=1.71%) the volume of the antiferromagnetic phase immediately below the N\'{e}el point T_N is much smaller than the volume of the paramagnetic phase. In the presence of the short-range spin-Peierls order (in samples with x=2.88%, x= 3.2%) there are comparable volumes of paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases at T=T_N. The fraction of the antiferromagnetic phase increases with lowering temperature. In the absence of the spin-Peierls dimerization (at x=4.57%)the whole sample exhibits the transition into the antiferromagnetic state and there is no phase separation. The phase separation is explained by the consideration of clusters of staggered magnetization located near impurity atoms. In this model the areas occupied by coherently correlated spins expand with decreasing temperature and the percolation of the ordered area through a macroscopic distance occurs.Comment: 7pages, 10 figure