Structure and magnetism of FeMnO3.

The compound FeMnO3 crystallizing in the mineral bixbyite structure has been prepared by mechanochemical synthesis achieved by high energy ball milling of starting compounds. The structure and magnetism have been studied using powder neutron diffraction and magnetization measurements. Magnetization measurements exhibits ferrimagnetism at 300 K and antiferromagnetic (TN) ordering around 36 K. Magnetic structure has been determined from the Rietveld analysis of the neutron diffraction pattern recorded at 300 K. Fe and Mn occupy both 8b and 24d sites in 1:1 ratio. Interaction between Fe and Mn atoms is antiferromagnetic. The ferrimagnetism arises due to anti-parallel alignment of unequal moments on 8b and 24d sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]