$mu$SR study of spin freezing and persistent spin dynamics in NaCaNi$_2$F$_7$


Abstract in English

A new pyrochlore compound, NaCaNi$_2$F$_7$, was recently synthesized and has a single magnetic site with spin-1 Ni$^{2+}$. We present zero field (ZF) and longitudinal field (LF) muon spin rotation ($mu$SR) measurements on this pyrochlore. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the most likely muon site is located between two fluorine ions, but off-centre. A characteristic F-$mu$-F muon spin polarization function is observed at high temperatures where Ni spin fluctuations are sufficiently rapid. The Ni$^{2+}$ spins undergo spin freezing into a disordered ground state below 4~K, with a characteristic internal field strength of 140~G. Persistent Ni spin dynamics are present to our lowest temperatures (75~mK), a feature characteristic of many geometrically frustrated magnetic systems.

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