Crystal Field Levels and Magnetic Anisotropy in the Kagome Compounds $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$, $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{Z}{\mathrm{n}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$, and $\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{r}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$

Abstract

We report the crystal field levels of several newly-discovered rare-earth kagome compounds: $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$, $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{Z}{\mathrm{n}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$, and $\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{r}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$. We determine the CEF Hamiltonian by fitting to neutron scattering data using a point-charge Hamiltonian as an intermediate fitting step. The fitted Hamiltonians accurately reproduce bulk susceptibility measurements, and the results indicate easy-axis ground state doublets for $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$ and $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{d}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{Z}{\mathrm{n}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$, and a singlet ground state for $\mathrm{P}{\mathrm{r}}_3\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{b}}_3\mathrm{M}{\mathrm{g}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_{14}$. These results provide the groundwork for future investigations of these compounds and a template for CEF analysis of other low-symmetry materials.

10 pages, 10 figures, and 10 pages supplemental materials