Magnetic field-driven transition between valence bond solid and antiferromagnetic order in distorted triangular lattice

Abstract

A molecular Mott insulator $\kappa$-(ET)${}_2$B(CN)${}_4$ [ET = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene] with a distorted triangular lattice exhibits a quantum disordered state with gapped spin excitation in the ground state. ${}^{13}$C nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetization, and magnetic torque measurements reveal that magnetic field suppresses valence bond order and induces long-range magnetic order above a critical field $\sim 8$ T. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/T_1$ shows persistent evolution of antiferromagnetic correlation above the transition temperature, highlighting a quantum spin liquid state with fractional excitations. The field-induced transition as observed in the spin-Peierls phase suggests that the valence bond order transition is driven through renormalized one-dimensionality and spin-lattice coupling.

8 pages, 10 figures