We present a neutron and x-ray scattering investigation of Ca3LiOsO6, a material predicted to host magnetic ordering solely through an extended superexchange pathway involving two anions, an interaction mechanism that has undergone relatively little investigation. This contrasts with the ubiquitous superexchange interaction mechanism involving a single anion that has well defined and long standing rules. Despite the apparent 1D nature and triangular units of magnetic osmium ions the onset of magnetic correlations has been observed at a high temperature of 117 K in bulk measurements. We experimentally determine the magnetically ordered structure and show it to be long range and three dimensional. Our results support the model of extended superexchange interaction.
@article{arxiv.1206.1608,
title = {Magnetic structure determination of Ca$_3$LiOsO$_6$ using neutron and x-ray scattering},
author = {S. Calder and M. D. Lumsden and V. O. Garlea and J. -W. Kim and Y. G. Shi and H. L. Feng and K. Yamaura and A. D. Christianson},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1206.1608},
year = {2012}
}