Controlling magnetic structures of layered oxychalcogenides with soft chemistry

This proposal is to probe the change in the crystal and magnetic structures of soft chemically manipulated layered oxychalcogenides to establish the structure-composition-property relationships in these mixed anion compounds which contain Ae2MnO2 (Ae = Sr, Ba) layers separated by Cu, or Li chalcogenide layers. This experiment will show how the change in the oxidation state of Mn and the consequent change ratio of Mn2+ and Mn3+ ions controls the details of the antiferromagnetic ordering scheme in this series of compounds. Neutrons are key to establishing the magnetic structures.