Experimental evidence for a spin-Peierls-transition in ${\alpha }^{\prime }-Na{V}_2{O}_5$

Abstract

We present the first measurements of magnetisation and Raman light scattering on ${\alpha }^{\prime }-Na{V}_2{O}_5$ single crystals. Below 34 K, we observe a pronounced isotropic decrease of the susceptibility indicating the opening of a spin gap. The transition temperature is slightly field dependent. Raman experiments reveal a crystallographic distortion at the transition. Our results clearly establish ${\alpha }^{\prime }-Na{V}_2{O}_5$ to be the second inorganic spin-Peierls system.

8 pages, 2 eps figures. To be published in Z. Phys. B (1997)