Neutron diffraction study of triple layered Sr4Ru3O10

The magnetic properties of the triple layered Sr4Ru3O10 have been investigated by means of neutron scattering diffraction. At zero field we find that the magnetic moments are ferromagnetically coupled and oriented along the c axis with no signatures of either long range antiferromagnetic order or ferromagnetic components in the ab plane. The field dependence of the reflection intensity points to a metamagnetic response involving only the planar magnetic moments. The structural refinement indicates a distinct rearrangement of the unit cell as a function of both temperature and in plane applied field. We show that at the temperature T 50 K, below which the metamagnetic behavior is observed, the c axis lattice parameter exhibits a rapid increase while the in plane amplitude saturates. A similar upturn of the in plane lattice parameter after the quench of the c axis amplitude occurs above a critical magnetic field