Field-induced intermediate ordered phase and anisotropic interlayer interactions in α−RuCl3
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
In α-RuCl3, an external magnetic field applied within the honeycomb plane can induce a transition from a magnetically ordered state to a disordered state that is potentially related to the Kitaev quantum spin liquid. In zero field, single crystals with minimal stacking faults display a low-temperature state with in-plane zigzag antiferromagnetic order and a three-layer periodicity in the direction perpendicular to the honeycomb planes. Here, we present angle-dependent magnetization, ac susceptibility, and thermal transport data that demonstrate the presence of an additional intermediate-field ordered state at fields below the transition to the disordered phase. Neutron-diffraction results show that the magnetic structure in this phase is characterized by a six-layer periodicity in the direction perpendicular to the honeycomb planes. Theoretically, the intermediate ordered phase can be accounted for by including spin-anisotropic couplings between the layers in a three-dimensional spin model. Together, this demonstrates the importance of interlayer exchange interactions in α-RuCl3.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | 174417 |
Journal | Physical review. B |
Volume | 103 |
Issue number | 17 |
Publication status | Published - 13 May 2021 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
Scopus | 85106253523 |
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