Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Physical Review Letters
Publication Date
Page Number
227601
Volume
101
Issue
22
Abstract
X-ray scattering by multiferroic LuFe2O4 is reported. Below 320 K, superstructure reflections indicate
an incommensurate charge order with propagation close to �1
3
1
3
3
2�. The corresponding charge configuration,
also found by electronic structure calculations as most stable, contains polar Fe=O double layers with
antiferroelectric stacking. Diffuse scattering at 360 K, with �1
3
1
3 0� propagation, indicates ferroelectric
short-range correlations between neighboring double layers. The temperature dependence of the incommensuration
indicates that charge order and magnetism are coupled.
