Local study of the insulating quantum kagome antiferromagnets YCu3(OH)6OxCl3-x (x=0,1/3)

Abstract

The quantum kagome antiferromagnets YCu3(OH)6OxCl3-x (x=0,1/3) are produced using a unified solid state synthesis route for polycrystalline samples. From structural refinements based on neutron diffraction data, we clarify the structure of the Y3Cu9(OH)18OCl8 (x=1/3) compound and provide a revised chemical formula. We use muon spin relaxation, as a local probe of magnetism, to investigate the exotic low temperature properties in the two compounds. In agreement with the low temperature neutron diffraction data, we find no evidence for long range ordering in both materials but they exhibit distinct ground states: while disordered static magnetism develops in the x=0 compound, we conclude on the stabilization of a quantum spin liquid in the x=1/3 one, since the local fields remain fully dynamical. Our findings are in contrast to previous reports based on thermodynamical measurements only. We then discuss their origin on the basis of structural details and specific heat measurements. In particular, the x=1/3 compound appears to realize an original spatially anisotropic kagome model.

9 pages, 8 figures

References in corpus (13)

• Quantum magnetism in the paratacamite family: towards an ideal kagome lattice
• 17O NMR study of the intrinsic magnetic susceptibility and spin dynamics of the quantum kagome antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2
• Theoretical prediction of a strongly correlated Dirac metal
• Quantum phase transition induced by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya in the kagome antiferromagnet
• Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya Anisotropy in the Spin-1/2 Kagomé Compound ZnCu${}_3$(OH)${}_6$Cl${}_2$
• From high temperature supercondutivity to quantum spin liquid: progress in strong correlation physics
• Spin dynamics and disorder effects in the S=1/2 kagome Heisenberg spin liquid phase of kapellasite
• Strong magnetic frustration in Y${}_3$Cu${}_9$(OH)${}_{19}$Cl${}_8$: a distorted kagome antiferromagnet
• Coexistence of magnetic order and persistent spin dynamics in a quantum kagome antiferromagnet with no intersite mixing
• Quantum and Classical Spins on the Spatially Distorted Kagome Lattice: Applications to Volborthite
• Spin susceptibility of quantum magnets from high to low temperatures
• Heisenberg antiferromagnet with anisotropic exchange on the Kagome lattice: Description of the magnetic properties of volborthite
• Nature of optical excitations in the frustrated kagome compound Herbertsmithite

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Coexistence of magnetic order and persistent spin dynamics in a quantum kagome antiferromagnet with no intersite mixing
• $\mathbf{q}=0$ long-range magnetic order in centennialite CaCu${}_3$(OD)${}_6$Cl${}_2$$\cdot$0.6D${}_2$O: A spin-1/2 perfect kagome antiferromagnet with $J_1$-$J_2$-$J_d$
• Dynamical spin correlations of the kagome antiferromagnet
• NMR evidence of spinon localization in kagome antiferromagnet YCu${}_3$(OH)${}_6$Br${}_2$[Br${}_{1-x}$(OH)${}_x$]
• $LnC{u}_3(OH{)}_{6}C{l}_3(Ln=Gd,Tb,Dy)$: Heavy Lanthanides on Spin-1/2 Kagome Magnets