Magnetic ordering in a frustrated bow-tie lattice

We report a systematic X-ray and powder neutron diffraction study of the geometrically frustrated material, Ca₂Mn₃O₈. Ca₂Mn₃O₈ exhibits a ‘bow-tie’ like connectivity of Mn⁴⁺ with Ca²⁺ occupying octahedral sites between MnO₆ layers. Magnetic refinements of neutron powder diffraction data indicate that the spins order with a canted four sub-lattice-like (↑↑↓↓) arrangement below ∼50 K. In addition, short range magnetic correlations can be seen to persist until ∼130 K.