Magnetic Excitation Spectrum of the Square Lattice S=1/2 Heisenberg Antiferromagnet K2V3O8

We have explored the magnetic excitation spectrum of the S=1/2 square lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet, K2V3O8 using both triple-axis and time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering. The long-wavelength spin waves are consistent with the previously determined Hamiltonian for this material. A small energy gap of 72+/-9 micro-eV is observed at the antiferromagnetic zone center and the near-neighbor exchange constant is determined to be 1.08+/-0.03 meV. A finite ferromagnetic interplanar coupling is observed along the crystallographic c-axis with a magnitude of Jc=-0.0036+/-0.006 meV. However, upon approaching the zone boundary, the observed excitation spectrum deviates significantly from the expectation of linear spin wave theory resulting in split modes at the (pi/2,pi/2) zone boundary point. The effects of magnon-phonon interaction, orbital degrees of freedom, multimagnon scattering, and dilution/site randomness are considered in the context of the mode splitting. Unfortunately, no fully satisfactory explanation of this phenomenon is found and further theoretical and experimental work is needed.