Non-collinear Order and Spin-Orbit Coupling in Sr${}_3$ZnIrO${}_6$

Abstract

Sr${}_3$ZnIrO${}_6$ is an effective spin one-half Mott insulating iridate belonging to a family of magnets which includes a number of quasi-one dimensional systems as well as materials exhibiting three dimensional order. Here we present the results of an extensive investigation into the magnetism including heat capacity, a.c. susceptibility, muon spin rotation ($\mu$SR), neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering on the same sample. It is established that the material exhibits a transition at about $17$ K into a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic structure with propagation vector $\mathbf{k}=(0,\frac{1}{2},1)$ in the hexagonal setting of R$\bar{3}$c and non-collinear moments of $0.87$${\mu }_B$ on Ir${}^{4+}$ ions. Further we have observed a well defined powder averaged spin wave spectrum with zone boundary energy of $\sim 5$ meV at $5$ K. We stress that a theoretical analysis shows that the observed non-collinear magnetic structure arises from anisotropic inter- and intra- chain exchange which has its origin in significant spin-orbit coupling. The model can satisfactorily explain the observed spin wave excitations.

arXiv comment6 pages, 5 figures

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Cited by in corpus (4)

• $J_{eff}$ states in a quasi one dimensional antiferromagnetic spin chain hexagonal Iridates Sr${}_3$MIrO${}_6$ (M=Mg, Zn, Cd): an $ab-initio$ comparative perspective
• Role of crystal field ground state in the classical spin-liquid behavior of a quasi-one dimensional spin-chain system Sr3NiPtO6
• Coexistence of static and dynamic local magnetic fields in an S = 3/2 honeycomb lattice antiferromagnet Co2Te3O8
• Magnetic ground state and excitations in mixed 3$d$-4$d$ quasi-1D spin-chain oxide Sr${}_3$NiRhO${}_6$