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Title: Spin triplet ground-state in the copper hexamer compounds A 2 C u 3 O ( S O 4 ) 3 ( A = Na , K )

Journal Article · · Physical Review B
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [1]
  1. Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland). Lab. for Neutron Scattering and Imaging
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Neutron Scattering Division
  3. Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland). Lab. for Multiscale Materials Experiments

The compounds $${A}_{2}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}_{3}\mathrm{O}{(\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_{4})}_{3}(A=\mathrm{Na},\mathrm{K})$$ are characterized by copper hexamers which are weakly coupled along the $$b$$ axis to realize one-dimensional antiferromagnetic chains below $${T}_{\mathrm{N}}{\approx}3\mathrm{K}$$, whereas the interchain interactions along the $$a$$ and $$c$$ axes are negligible. Here we investigated the energy-level splittings of the copper hexamers by inelastic neutron scattering below and above $${T}_{\mathrm{N}}$$. The eight lowest-lying hexamer states could be unambiguously assigned and parametrized in terms of a Heisenberg exchange Hamiltonian, providing direct experimental evidence for an $S=1$ triplet ground-state associated with the copper hexamers. Therefore, the compounds $${A}_{2}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{u}}_{3}\mathrm{O}{(\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_{4})}_{3}$$ serve as cluster-based spin-1 antiferromagnets to support Haldane's conjecture that a gap appears in the excitation spectrum below $${T}_{\mathrm{N}}$$, which was verified by inelastic neutron scattering.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1484096
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1483918
Journal Information:
Physical Review B, Vol. 98, Issue 18; ISSN 2469-9950
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 11 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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