Polarized neutron study of covalency effects in yttrium iron garnet

Magnetic structure amplitudes of 170 reflections up to sin $\text{θ}\text{λ}\text{= 1.0}\text{A}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ were measured by polarized neutron diffraction at T = 295K on yttrium iron garnet. The data set was completed by model calculations and the magnetization density was determined. The magnetic moments obtained by integration and refinement are considerably reduced on both iron sites due to charge density transferred from intervening ligand ions. A residual moment of uncancelled spin of (0.032 ±0.004) μ_B is observed on the oxygen ion. Evidence for magnetization density on the oxygen atom and between oxygen and tetrahedral iron was found. A qualitative discussion in terms of a molecular orbital model is given. A further data set collected at 4.2K showed equally a magnetic moment lower than expected for the free ion.