Resonant x-ray scattering from the 4p quadrupole moment in YVO3

T. A. W. Beale (1) , R. D. Johnson (1) , Yves Joly (2) , S. R. Bland (1) , P. D. Hatton (3) , L. Bouchenoire (4) , C. Mazzoli (4) , D. Prabhakaran (5) , A. T. Boothroyd (5)

1 Department of Physics
2 NEEL - SIN - Surfaces, Interfaces et Nanostructures
3 Department of Physics
4 ESRF - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
5 Department of Physics, Clarendon Laboratory

We show that resonant scattering signals at the Bragg forbidden positions in YVO3 originate from the anisotropic nature of the atomic scattering factor. The E1-E1 scattering from the electric-quadrupole moment is explained entirely through the crystal structure and does not require sensitivity to 3d orbital order. Simulations of the resonance using the FDMNES code suggest that the Jahn-Teller distortion provides an insignificant contribution to the intensity of the forbidden reflection. Thus we show that resonant x-ray diffraction at the vanadium K-edge in YVO3 is largely insensitive, even indirectly, to 3d orbital order through Jahn-Teller distortions.

Mots clés: Resonant x-ray scattering; Resonant x-ray diffraction; YVO3

Domaines: Science des matériaux [cond-mat.mtrl-sci]

T. A. W. Beale, R. D. Johnson, Yves Joly, S. R. Bland, P. D. Hatton, et al.. Resonant x-ray scattering from the 4p quadrupole moment in YVO3. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2010, 82, pp.024105. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.82.024105⟩. ⟨hal-00686525⟩