Probing magnetic order in CuFeO2 through nuclear forward scattering in high magnetic fields

Determining the magnetic order of solids in high magnetic fields is technologically challenging. Here we probe the cascade of magnetic phase transitions in frustrated multiferroic CuFeO2 using nuclear forward scattering (NFS) in pulsed magnetic fields up to 30 T. Our results are in excellent agreement with detailed neutron diffraction experiments, currently limited to 15 T, while providing experimental confirmation of the proposed higher field phases for both H parallel to c and H perpendicular to c. We thus establish NFS as a valuable tool for spin structure studies in very high fields, both complementing and expanding on the applicability of existing techniques.