Oxygen moment formation and canting in Li2CuO2 -: art. no. 144410

The possibilities of oxygen moment formation and canting in the quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) cuprate Li2CuO2 are investigated using single-crystal neutron diffraction at 2 K. The observed magnetic intensities could not be explained without the inclusion of a large ordered oxygen moment of 0.11(1)mu(B). Least-squares refinement of the magnetic structure of Li2CuO2 in combination with a spin-density Patterson analysis shows that the magnetization densities of the Cu and O atoms are highly aspherical, forming quasi-1D ribbons of localized Cu and O moments. Magnetic structure refinements and low-field magnetization measurements both suggest that the magnetic structure of Li2CuO2 at 2 K may be canted. A possible model for the canted configuration is proposed.