Magnetic Properties of NH4H2PO4 and KH2PO4: Emergence of Multiferroic Salts
We observe sharp step-down discontinuities in the magnetic susceptibility of NH4H2PO4 and NH4H2PO4-d60 (60% deuterated) along the a- and c-axes occurring exactly at their antiferroelectric transition temperatures. For the case of KH2PO4, less pronounced discontinuities occur at the ferroelectric transition temperature. To explain this, we treat the acid protons as individual oscillators that generate current elements that translate to magnetic forces in near resonance with each other. With decreasing temperature, the resonant forces become more commensurate, which amplifies a disproportionate drop off of two types of magnetic forces to eventually trigger the structural phase transitions. For the case of NH4H2PO4, the associated internal magnetic field appears to aid the NH4+ to order at a higher temperature. At 49 K, a shoulder-like anomaly in both NH4H2PO4 and KH2PO4 is attributed to a possible onset of macroscopic quantum tunneling of protons. Our findings bring forth a new category of intrinsic multiferroic systems.
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