Magnetoelastic coupling in magnetically frustrated Co₃ V ₂ O₈

An applied magnetic field offers the opportunity to drive new transitions and tune competing interactions in complex materials. Here, we employ magnetoinfrared spectroscopy to probe magnetic ordering-induced local lattice distortions through the series of field-induced transitions in the frustrated Kagomé staircase material Co3 V2 O8. These experiments reveal that the most important local lattice distortion involves Co center displacement, mainly along the direction perpendicular to the buckled Kagomé planes. This result is important for understanding the microscopic aspects of magnetically driven transitions in functional oxides.