Zigzag magnetic order in a novel tellurate compound Na_(4-δ)NiTeO_6 with S=1 chains

Na_(4-δ)Ni Te O_(6) is a rare example in the transition-metal tellurate family of realizing an S=1 spin-chain structure.By performing neutron powder diffraction measurements,the ground-state magnetic structure of Na_(4-δ)Ni Te O_(6) is determined.These measurements reveal that below T_N~6.8(2)K,the Ni^(2+) moments form a screwed ferromagnetic(FM)spin-chain structure running along the crystallographic a axis but these FM spin chains are coupled antiferromagnetically along the b and c directions,giving rise to a magnetic propagation vector of k=(0,1/2,1/2).This zigzag magnetic order is well supported by first-principles calculations.The moment size of Ni^(2+) spins is determined to be 2.1(1) μ_(B) at 3 K,suggesting a significant quenching of the orbital moment due to the crystalline electric field(CEF)effect.The previously reported metamagnetic transition near H_(c)~0.1 T can be understood as a field-induced spin-flip transition.The relatively easy tunability of the dimensionality of its magnetism by external parameters makes Na_(4-δ)Ni Te O_(6)a promising candidate for further exploring various types of novel spin-chain physics.