Direct Observation of Anapoles by Neutron Diffraction

Phys Rev Lett. 2019 Feb 1;122(4):047203. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.047203.

Abstract

The scope of magnetic neutron scattering has been expanded by the observation of electronic Dirac dipoles (anapoles) that are polar (parity odd) and magnetic (time odd). A zero-magnetization ferromagnet Sm_{0.976}Gd_{0.024}Al_{2} with a diamond-type structure presents Dirac multipoles at basis-forbidden reflections that include the standard (2, 2, 2) reflection. Magnetic amplitudes measured at four such reflections are in full accord with a structure factor calculated from the appropriate magnetic space group.