Observation of the spiral spin liquid in a triangular-lattice material

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Contributors

Abstract

The spiral spin liquid (SSL) is a highly degenerate state characterized by a continuous contour or surface in reciprocal space spanned by a spiral propagation vector. Although the SSL state has been predicted in a number of various theoretical models, very few materials are so far experimentally identified to host such a state. Via combined single-crystal wide-angle and small-angle neutron scattering, we report observation of the SSL in the quasi-two-dimensional delafossite-like AgCrSe2. We show that it is a very close realization of the ideal Heisenberg J1–J2–J3 frustrated model on the triangular lattice. By supplementing our experimental results with microscopic spin-dynamics simulations, we demonstrate how such exotic magnetic states are driven by thermal fluctuations and exchange frustration.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number2619
Number of pages8
JournalNature communications
Volume16
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 17 Mar 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40097389