One-third magnetization plateau in a spin-1 kagome magnet BaNi${}_3$(AsO${}_4$)${}_2$(OH)${}_2$

Abstract

We investigate the structural and magnetic properties of BaNi${}_3$(AsO${}_4$)${}_2$(OH)${}_2$, focusing on its spin-1 kagome lattice and the intricate coexistence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis confirms a highly crystalline trigonal structure. Detailed Rietveld refinement identifies a single crystallographic Ni site, indicative of a perfect kagome lattice. Magnetic susceptibility measurements suggest predominantly ferromagnetic interactions with an effective magnetic moment consistent with Ni${}^{2+}$ spins, yet the system undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering at a N$\acute{e}$el temperature of 5.8 K. Isothermal magnetization measurements reveal a series of metamagnetic transitions culminating in a plateau-like phase near one-third of the total saturation magnetization. Analysis of the phase boundaries shows that the antiferromagnetic phase supports a substantial net moment in each kagome layer, comparable to that of the one-third plateau. This observation challenges the conventional model-where a 120${}^{\circ }$ ground state transitions to an up-up-down configuration-commonly assumed for kagome antiferromagnets. Instead, our findings indicate that both the zero-field ground state and the field-induced phases exhibit in-plane ferrimagnetic spin arrangements on the kagome lattice, with the metamagnetic transition corresponding to a shift from layer-by-layer antiferromagnetically aligned net moments to ferromagnetically aligned ones. This configuration is stabilized by bond frustration, a network of competing interactions that can favor both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic couplings, highlighting the essential role of frustration in governing the low-temperature magnetic behavior of spin-1 kagome systems.

8 pages, 3 figure, accepted in Physical Review Materials

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Cited by in corpus (1)

• Robust semiclassical magnetization plateau in the kagome lattice