Magnetic structures and spin states of NdBaCo₂O₅

Neutron diffraction studies have been carried out on a single crystal of oxygen-deficient perovskite NdBaCo₂O₅ in the temperature range of 7-370 K. There have been observed, with decreasing temperature T, two magnetic transitions accompanied with structural changes, to the antiferromagnetic phase at ∼360 K and to the charge ordered antiferromagnetic one at ∼250 K. We have studied the magnetic structures at 300 K and 7 K. At these temperatures the Co-moments have the so-called G-type antiferromagnetic structure, and Co ions are considered to be in the high spin state over the whole temperature range below T_N ∼ 360 K.