Phase Diagram of CuCrO2 in a Magnetic Field

Abstract

The magnetic phase diagram of CuCrO2 is constructed as a function of magnetic field and anisotropy using a trial spin state built from harmonics of a fundamental ordering wavevector. Whereas the multiferroic phase of CuCrO2 is a modified spin spiral with a 3-sublattice (SL) period, the phase diagram also contains 1-SL, 2-SL, 4-SL, and 5-SL collinear states which may be accessi- ble in the nonstoichiometric compound CuCrO2+δ. For small anisotropy, CuCrO2 is predicted to undergo a transition between two modified spiral states with an intervening 3-SL collinear phase.