Spin-Flop Domains in MnF2

An intermediate state is shown to exist between the antiferromagnetic and spin-flop states of antiferromagnetic Mn${\mathrm{F}}_2$. This state consists of alternate thin-slab domains of antiferromagnetic and spin-flop material. Experimental evidence includes NMR, Faraday rotation, optical-absorption spectroscopy, and photographs of the domain structure. A molecular field model is used to calculate the field width of the domain region and the physical width of the domains. Reasonable numerical agreement is found.