Stability of cluster glass state in nano order sized YbFe₂O₄ powders

Slow magnetic relaxation and the Fe ion stoichiometry were investigated in spin and charge frustrated system YbFe₂O₄. DC susceptibility, AC susceptibility, aging process and electron diffraction observation were carried out on nano order sized YbFe₂O₄ single-phase powders with the Fe/Yb=2.00, 2.02, and 2.04 ratios. The variation of the cluster glass behavior was studied in relation between the magnetic relaxation and the various chemical compositions. With the increase of the Fe/Yb ratios, the magnetic coherence length increased and the magnetic aging time goes slow down. The observed critical slowing down of the glassy fluctuation is interpreted by the development of the spin cluster size. This indicates that the spin glass like property of this material arises from the competition between various sized magnetic domains having ferrimagnetic moments. Additionally, electron diffraction experiments showed that the increase of Fe/Yb ratios from Fe/Yb=2.00 enhances the development of the charge ordering coherence in triangular lattice. This study shows that the measurement of magnetic fluctuation for nano order sized particles gives the essential information about the spin cluster fluctuation in RFe₂O₄.