Abstract. YMnO₃ exhibits a ferroelectric transition at high temperature (900 K) and magnetic ordering at T_N70 K, where the dielectric constant shows an anomaly indicative of the magneto-dielectric effect. Here we report powder neutron diffraction experiments in this compound that show that the magnetic moment at saturation is reduced by application of hydrostatic pressure. Our results yield further insight about the nature of the spin–lattice interaction in ferroic materials.

Print publication: Issue 42 (26 October 2005)
Received 11 August 2005, in final form 16 September 2005
Published 7 October 2005