Observation of c-axis magnetization at low temperatures in the weak ferromagnet FeBO3 reveals a spin-reorientation transition

The weak ferromagnet FeBO3 is well known for being a unique system for modeling and testing magnetic dynamics primarily due to relatively simple and localized magnetic structure and its interesting spin wave dynamics. At room temperature, it has slightly canted iron moments lying in the a -b plane that result in a strong antiferromagnetic moment and a weak ferromagnetic moment, which results in pronounced ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic spin modes. However, some previous studies have shown unusual low-temperature behavior that suggests a phase transition. By performing low-temperature magnetization measurements, both in bulk and on the mesoscale, we have observed a low-temperature magnetic texture in this material in which a large c-axis magnetization occurs. Magnetic fields along the c axis as high as 1300 Oe were observed close to the sample's surface. This presents evidence for the onset of a Morin transition or another type of spin-reorientation phase transition wherein the Fe3+ moments would acquire a c-axis component to their canting below a critical temperature. The observation of this c-axis magnetization suggests that there is a different ground state in this material than has been previously expected and could be due to as yet unexplored intricacies of the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction.