Magnetic structure of erbium

Abstract

We present a synchrotron x-ray scattering study of the magnetic phases of erbium. In addition to the magnetic scattering located at the fundamental wave vector ${\tau }_m$ we also observe scattering from magnetoelastically induced charge modulations at the fundamental wave vector, at twice the fundamental, and at positions split symmetrically about the fundamental. As the temperature is lowered below 52 K the charge and magnetic scattering display a sequence of lock-in transitions to rational wave vectors. A spin-slip description of the magnetic structure is presented which explains the wave vectors of the additional charge scattering.