Ground-state magnetic structures of topological kagome metals RV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er)

Magnetic kagome metals have attracted tremendous research interests recently, because they represent an ideal playground for exploring the fascinating interplay between their intrinsically inherited topologically non-trivial electron band structures, magnetism and electronic correlation effects, and the resultant novel electronic/magnetic states and emergent excitations. In this work, we report a comprehensive single-crystal neutron diffraction investigation of the ground-state magnetic structures of the recently discovered V-based topological kagome metals RV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er). Furthermore, the sample synthesis details and our systematic studies of crystal structure, low-temperature magnetic and thermodynamic properties of these compounds via various in-house characterization techniques are also reported. It can be revealed that RV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) (R = Tb, Dy, Ho) have a collinear ferromagnetic order in the ground state, with the ordered magnetic moment aligned along the c axis for R = Tb, Ho, while approximately 20\({^\circ}\) tilted off from the c axis for R = Dy. In contrast, ErV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) shows an A-type antiferromagnetic structure with a magnetic propagation vector k = (0, 0, 0.5), and with the ordered magnetic moment aligned in the ab plane. A comparison of the low-temperature magnetic structures for both the extensively investigated topological kagome metal series of RV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) and RMn\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) is given in details. This allows to gain new insights into the complex magnetic interactions, diverse single-ion magnetic anisotropies and spin dynamics in these compounds. The reported ground-state magnetic structures in RV\(_6\)Sn\(_6\) (R = Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) can pave the way for further explorations of the possible interplay between magnetism and topologically non-trivial electron band structures in the magnetically ordered phase regime.