Partially disordered state and spin-lattice coupling in an S=3/2 triangular lattice antiferromagnet Ag2CrO2

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Physical Review B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.144407· OSTI ID:1042866

Matsuda, Masaaki ^[1]; Yoshida, H. ^[2]; Isobe, M. ^[2]; De la cruz, Clarina ^[3]; Fishman, Randy Scott ^[1]

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1. ORNL
2. National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
3. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)

Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 2} is an S = 3/2 frustrated triangular lattice antiferromagnet without an orbital degree of freedom. With decreasing temperature, a four-sublattice spin state develops. However, a long-range partially disordered state with five sublattices abruptly appears at T{sub N} = 24 K, accompanied by a structural distortion, and persists at least down to 2 K. The spin-lattice coupling stabilizes the anomalous state, which is expected to appear only in limited ranges of further-neighbor interactions and temperature. It was found that the spin-lattice coupling is a common feature in triangular lattice antiferromagnets with multiple-sublattice spin states, since the triangular lattice is elastic.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1042866
• Journal Information: Physical Review B, Vol. 85, Issue 14; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
SPIN
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
PHYSICS