  The spiral magnetic structure and underlying spin lattice of BiMnFe2O6 are
investigated by low-temperature neutron powder diffraction and density
functional theory band structure calculations. In spite of the random
distribution of the Mn3+ and Fe3+ cations, this compound undergoes a transition
into an incommensurate antiferromagnetically ordered state below TN ~ 220 K.
The magnetic structure is characterized by the propagation vector k=[0,beta,0]
with beta ~ 0.14 and the P22_12_11'(0 \beta 0)0s0s magnetic superspace
symmetry. It comprises antiferromagnetic helixes propagating along the b-axis.
The magnetic moments lie in the ac plane and rotate about pi*(1+beta) ~ 204.8
deg angle between the adjacent magnetic atoms along b. The spiral magnetic
structure arises from the peculiar frustrated arrangement of exchange couplings
in the ab plane. The antiferromagnetic coupling along the c-axis leads to the
cancellation of electric polarization, and results in the lack of
ferroelectricity in BiMnFe2O6.
