Unconventional Magnetism in a Nitrogen-Based Analogue of Cupric Oxide

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetic properties of CuNCN, the first nitrogen-based analogue of cupric oxide, CuO. Our muon spin relaxation, nuclear magnetic resonance and electron spin resonance studies reveal that classical magnetic ordering is absent down to lowest temperatures. However, large enhancement of spin correlations and unexpected inhomogeneous magnetism have been observed below 80 K. We attribute this to a peculiar fragility of the electronic state against weak perturbations due to geometrical frustration, which selects between competing spin-liquid and more conventional frozen states.

arXiv comment4 pages + 1 page of supplementary information, accepted for publication in PRL

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Cited by in corpus (7)

• Coexistence of magnetic order and persistent spin dynamics in a quantum kagome antiferromagnet with no intersite mixing
• Frustration-induced nanometre-scale inhomogeneity in a triangular antiferromagnet
• Role of Antisymmetric Exchange in Selecting Magnetic Chirality in Ba${}_3$NbFe${}_3$Si${}_2$O${}_{14}$
• Magnetism of CuX2 frustrated chains (X = F, Cl, Br): the role of covalency
• Hidden Magnetic Order in Triangular-Lattice Magnet Li2MnTeO6
• Hidden magnetic order in CuNCN
• Magnetic inhomogeneity in the copper pseudochalcogenide CuNCN