Symmetry of phonon, magnetic, and spin-phonon excitations in GdSr2RuCu2O8 single crystals

• We present a polarized Raman scattering study of GdSr2RuCu2O8 single crystals. In this compound, the RuO6 octahedra are rotated around the c axis that in turn gives some Raman activity of the oxygen (O-Ru) vibrations at 265 cm(-1) (A(1g)), 411 cm(-1) (B-2g) and 607 cm(-1) (B-1g). These vibrations, as well as those of the apical oxygen of RuO6, at 654 cm(-1) (A(1g)) and the Cu-plane oxygen at 318 cm(-1) (B-2g), clearly respond to the onset of magnetic ordering at T-m approximate to 140 K. In particular, the 265 cm(-1) mode hardens anomalously with decreasing temperature below T-m. Notably, the corresponding phonon line is absent in the Raman spectra of GdSr2NbCu2O8 (Nb5+:4d(0)), a compound isomorphic to GdSr2RuCu2O8 (Ru5+:4d(3)). We argue that the eigenvector of the 265 cm(-1) phonon (rotational mode) facilitates efficient modulation of the Ru(t(1g))-O-Ru (p) bands. This modulation gives both Raman scattering strength to the 265 cm(-1) mode and strong spin-phonon coupling.

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)