No Arabic abstract
The anisotropic triangular lattice of the crednerite system Cu(Mn1-xCux)O2 is used as a basic model for studying the influence of spin disorder on the ground state properties of a two-dimensional frustrated antiferromagnet. Neutron diffraction measurements show that the undoped phase (x=0) undergoes a transition to antiferromagnetic long-range order that is stabilized by a frustration-relieving structural distortion. Small deviation from the stoichiometric composition alters the magnetoelastic characteristics and reduces the effective dimensionality of the magnetic lattice. Upon increasing the doping level, the interlayer coupling changes from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic. As the structural distortion is suppressed, the long-range magnetic order is gradually transformed into a two-dimensional order.
By means of neutron scattering measurements, we have investigated spin-wave excitation in a collinear four-sublattice (4SL) magnetic ground state of a triangular lattice antiferromagnet CuFeO2, which has been of recent interest as a strongly frustrated magnet, a spin-lattice coupled system and a multiferroic. To avoid mixing of spin-wave spectrum from magnetic domains having three different orientations reflecting trigonal symmetry of the crystal structure, we have applied uniaxial pressure on [1-10] direction of a single crystal CuFeO2. By elastic neutron scattering measurements, we have found that only 10 MPa of the uniaxial pressure results in almost single domain state in the 4SL phase. We have thus performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements using the single domain sample, and have identified two distinct spin- wave branches. The dispersion relation of the upper spin-wave branch cannot be explained by the previous theoretical model [R. S. Fishman: J. Appl. Phys. 103 (2008) 07B109]. This implies the importance of the lattice degree of freedom in the spin-wave excitation in this system, because the previous calculation neglected the effect of the spin-driven lattice distortion in the 4SL phase. We have also discussed relationship between the present results and the recently discovered electromagnon excitation.
We report on comprehensive results identifying the ground state of a triangular-lattice structured YbZnGaO$_4$ to be spin glass, including no long-range magnetic order, prominent broad excitation continua, and absence of magnetic thermal conductivity. More crucially, from the ultralow-temperature a.c. susceptibility measurements, we unambiguously observe frequency-dependent peaks around 0.1 K, indicating the spin-glass ground state. We suggest this conclusion to hold also for its sister compound YbMgGaO$_4$, which is confirmed by the observation of spin freezing at low temperatures. We consider disorder and frustration to be the main driving force for the spin-glass phase.
The magnetic properties of the high temperature alpha form of the CaCr2O4 compound have been investigated for the first time by magnetic susceptibility, specific heat and powder neutron diffraction. The system undergoes a unique magnetic phase transition at 43K to a long range order incommensurate helical phase with magnetic propagation vector k=(0,0.3317(2),0). The magnetic model proposed from neutron diffraction data shows that the plane of rotation of the spins is perpendicular to the wave-vector, and that the magnetic modulation is consistent with two modes belonging to distinct irreducible representations of the group. The magnetic point group 2221 is not compatible with ferroelectricity unlike the CuCrO2 delafossite [Kimura et al., Phys. Rev. B, 78 140401 (2008)] but predicts the existence of quadratic magnetoelectric effects, discussed based on a Landau analysis.
Rare-earth delafossites were recently proposed as promising candidates for the realization of an effective $S$=1/2 quantum spin liquid (QSL) on the triangular lattice. In contrast to the most actively studied triangular-lattice antiferromagnet YbMgGaO$_4$, which is known for considerable structural disorder due to site intermixing, NaYbS$_2$ delafossite realizes structurally ideal triangular layers. We present detailed $mu$SR studies on this regular (undistorted) triangular Yb sublattice based system with effective spin $J_{mathrm{eff}}=1/2$ in the temperature range 0.05 - 40 K. Zero-field (ZF) and longitudinal field (LF) $mu$SR studies confirm the absence of any long range magnetic order state down to 0.05K ($sim J$/80). Current $mu$SR results together with the so far available bulk characterization data suggest that NaYbS$_2$ is an ideal candidate to identify QSL ground state.
Results of magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements of the manganese vanadate system Mn$_5$(VO$_4$)$_2$(OH)$_4$ are reported. The crystal structure of this compound contains triangular [Mn$_3$O$_{13}$] building blocks that produce two-dimensional Mn$^{2+}$ magnetic networks with striped triangular topologies. The Mn sheets are connected through the nonmagnetic vanadate tetrahedra extending along the $a$-axis. Magnetization measurements performed on single crystals reveal the onset of a long-range antiferromagnetic order below approximately 45 K. The magnetic structure is N{e}el-type with nearest-neighbor Mn atoms coupled via three or four antiferromagnetic bonds. The magnetic moments are confined within the layers and are oriented parallel to the $b$ direction. The magnitudes of ordered moments are reduced, presumably by geometrical frustration and the low-dimensionality of the lattice structure.