Weak ferromagnetism in LaMnO3

The magnetic properties of ( La _1-x Sr x ) MnO ₃ crystals have been studied. The ac susceptibility has been measured at frequencies ranging from 10 Hz to 1 000 Hz. The x = 0.25 crystal shows a typical ferromagnetic behaviour with a dimensionless SI susceptibility of 6 below T c = 350 K limited by the demagnetizing field. Both x = 0 and x = 0.06 crystals show very sharp peaks in and at the Néel points, 139 K and 135 K respectively. This is quite unlike the usual behaviour of an antiferromagnet. Magnetization measurements on an untwinned single crystal of LaMnO ₃ show a weak moment of at 4.2 K which is directed along the c axis. The origin of this canted antiferromagnetic structure is discussed in terms of anisotropy and of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. It is concluded that anistropy is insufficient to explain the canted antiferromagnetism. Received 8 January 1999