Single crystals of $\mathrm{Sr}{\mathrm{Mn}}_2{\mathrm{Ni}}_6{\mathrm{Te}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{18}$, a member of the ferroaxial-type magnetic oxide family $A{B}_2{C}_6{\mathrm{Te}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{18}$ ($A=\mathrm{Pb}$, Sr; $B=\mathrm{Mn}$, Cd; $C=\mathrm{Ni}$, Co), have been successfully grown and their structural, magnetic, magnetoelectric, and optical properties have been systematically studied. Imaging of the spatial distribution of electric-field-induced optical rotation reveals that the single crystals preferentially form single ferroaxial (FA) domains. Magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements show that $\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{n}}^{2+}$ and $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{2+}$ magnetic moments order antiferromagnetically at $T_{\mathrm{N}}=83$ K, forming a $c$-axis collinear bidirector-type antiferromagnetic structure. All independent magnetoelectric tensor components allowed by the magnetic point group $6/m^{\prime }$ have been detected and the ${\chi }_{33}$ component exhibits a pronounced temperature-dependent anomaly, including a peak and a sign reversal. Preferential formation of single FA domains and a similar ${\chi }_{33}$ anomaly are also observed in the isostructural compound ${\mathrm{PbMn}}_2{\mathrm{Ni}}_6{\mathrm{Te}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{18}$. These findings suggest that the ferroaxial and magnetic characteristics within this structural framework are robust against Sr-Pb replacement.

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• Electric polarization
• Magnetic phase transitions
• Magneto-dielectric effect
• Magneto-optics
• Antiferromagnets
• Magnetic insulators
• Neutron diffraction