Manganese (II) oxide, MnO, in common with CoO, NiO and FeO, possesses the NaCl structure and shows antiferromagnetism below its Neel point, Tn∼ 122 K. However, the defect chemistry of the four oxides is different and the magnetic structures are not identical. The non-stoichiometry in MnO2 small (∼2%) and below the Tn the spins lie in (111) planes. Previous work reported observations of magnetic features in CoO and NiO. The aim of our work was to find explanations for certain resonance results on antiferromagnetic MnO.Foils of single crystal MnO were prepared from shaped discs by dissolution in a mixture of HCl and HNO3. Optical microscopy revealed that the etch-pitted foils contained cruciform-shaped precipitates, often thick and proud of the surface but red-colored when optically transparent (MnO is green). Electron diffraction and probe microanalysis indicated that the precipitates were Mn2O3, in contrast with recent findings of Co3O4 in CoO.
