Magnetic phase diagram of rouaite Cu2(OH)3NO3

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Abstract

Spinon-magnon mixing was recently reported in botallackite Cu2(OH)3Br with a uniaxially compressed triangular lattice of Cu2+ quantum spins [H. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 037204 (2020)0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.125.037204]. Its nitrate counterpart rouaite, Cu2(OH)3NO3, has a highly analogous structure and might be expected to exhibit similar physics. To lay a foundation for research on this material, we clarify rouaite's magnetic phase diagram and identify both low-field phases. The low-temperature magnetic state consists of alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic chains, as in botallackite, but with additional canting, leading to net moments on all chains which rotate from one chain to another to form a 90∘ cycloidal pattern. The higher-temperature phase is a helical modulation of this order, wherein the spins rotate from one Cu plane to the next. This extends to zero temperature for fields perpendicular to the chains, leading to a set of low-temperature field-induced phase transitions. Rouaite may offer another platform for spinon-magnon mixing, while our results suggest a delicate balance of interactions and high tunability of the magnetism.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number054442
Number of pages20
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume110
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2024
Peer-reviewedYes