Competition between static and dynamic magnetism in the Kitaev spin liquid material Cu2IrO3

Abstract

Anyonic excitations emerging from a Kitaev spin liquid can form a basis for quantum computers. Searching for such excitations motivated intense research on the honeycomb iridate materials. However, access to a spin liquid ground state has been hindered by magnetic ordering. Cu2IrO3 is a new honeycomb iridate without thermodynamic signatures of a long-range order. Here, we use muon spin relaxation to uncover the magnetic ground state of Cu2IrO3. We find a two-component depolarization with slow and fast relaxation rates corresponding to distinct regions with dynamic and static magnetism, respectively. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and first principles calculations identify a mixed copper valence as the origin of this behavior. Our results suggest that a minority of Cu2+ ions nucleate regions of static magnetism whereas the majority of Cu+/Ir4+ on the honeycomb lattice give rise to a Kitaev spin liquid.

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Cited by in corpus (28)

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• Magnetism and Ion Diffusion in Honeycomb Layered Oxide K${}_2$Ni${}_2$TeO${}_6$: First Time Study by Muon Spin Rotation & Neutron Scattering
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• Complex pressure-temperature structural phase diagram of honeycomb iridate Cu${}_2$IrO${}_3$
• NMR Investigation on Honeycomb Iridate Ag${}_3$LiIr${}_2$O${}_6$
• The interplay between structural, magnetic and electronic states in the pyrochlore iridate Eu2Ir2O7
• The effect of structural and magnetic disorder on the 3$d$-5$d$ exchange interactions of La${}_{2-x}$Ca${}_x$CoIrO${}_6$
• Persistent spin dynamics in magnetically ordered honeycomb cobalt oxides
• Introducing the monoclinic polymorph of the Kitaev magnet Na${}_2$Co${}_2$TeO${}_6$
• First demonstration of tuning between the Kitaev and Ising limits in a honeycomb lattice
• Role of f-d exchange interaction and Kondo scattering in Nd doped pyrochlore Iridate (Eu1-xNdx)2Ir2O7
• Quantum paramagnetism in the hyperhoneycomb Kitaev magnet $\beta$-ZnIrO${}_3$
• Pressure tuning of structure, magnetic frustration and carrier conduction in Kitaev spin liquid candidate Cu${}_2$IrO${}_3$: X-ray, Raman, magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and first-principles analysis
• Raman fingerprints of fractionalized Majorana excitations in honeycomb iridate Ag${}_3$LiIr${}_2$O${}_6$
• Exploration of trivial and non-trivial electronic phases and of collinear and non-collinear magnetic phases in low-spin d${}^5$ perovskites
• Co-existence of short- and long-range magnetic order in LaCo${}_2$P${}_2$
• Frustration-induced quantum criticality in Ni-doped CePdAl as revealed by the $\mu$SR technique
• High-temperature magnetic anomaly via suppression of antisite disorder through synthesis route modification in a Kitaev candidate Cu${}_2$IrO${}_3$
• Pressure tuning of competing interactions on a honeycomb lattice
• Dilution of the magnetic lattice in the Kitaev candidate $\alpha$-RuCl${}_3$ by Rh${}^{3+}$ doping
• Induction of Large Magnetic Anisotropy Energy and Formation of Multiple Dirac States in SrIrO${}_3$ Films: Role of correlation and spin-orbit coupling
• Novel electronic state of honeycomb iridate Cu${}_2$IrO${}_3$ at high pressure
• Novel Quantum Spin Liquid States in the $S=\frac{1}{2}$ Three-Dimensional Compound Y${}_3$Cu${}_2$Sb${}_3$O${}_{14}$