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Title: Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the harmonic honeycomb iridates

Abstract

Here, the complex antiferromagnetic orders observed in the honeycomb iridates are a double-edged sword in the search for a quantum spin-liquid: both attesting that the magnetic interactions provide many of the necessary ingredients, while simultaneously impeding access. Focus has naturally been drawn to the unusual magnetic orders that hint at the underlying spin correlations. However, the study of any particular broken symmetry state generally provides little clue about the possibility of other nearby ground states. Here we use magnetic fields approaching 100 Tesla to reveal the extent of the spin correlations in γ-lithium iridate. We find that a small component of field along the magnetic easy-axis melts long-range order, revealing a bistable, strongly correlated spin state. Far from the usual destruction of antiferromagnetism via spin polarization, the high-field state possesses only a small fraction of the total iridium moment, without evidence for long-range order up to the highest attainable magnetic fields.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4];  [4]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [5]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids, Dresden (Germany)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
  3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  4. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
  5. Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
OSTI Identifier:
1398919
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1418309
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-22098
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396; AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 8; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; High Magnetic Field Science; Magnetic properties and materials

Citation Formats

Modic, K. A., Ramshaw, Brad J., Betts, J. B., Breznay, Nicholas P., Analytis, James G., McDonald, Ross David, and Shekhter, Arkady. Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the harmonic honeycomb iridates. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-017-00264-6.
Modic, K. A., Ramshaw, Brad J., Betts, J. B., Breznay, Nicholas P., Analytis, James G., McDonald, Ross David, & Shekhter, Arkady. Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the harmonic honeycomb iridates. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00264-6
Modic, K. A., Ramshaw, Brad J., Betts, J. B., Breznay, Nicholas P., Analytis, James G., McDonald, Ross David, and Shekhter, Arkady. Tue . "Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the harmonic honeycomb iridates". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00264-6. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1398919.
@article{osti_1398919,
title = {Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the harmonic honeycomb iridates},
author = {Modic, K. A. and Ramshaw, Brad J. and Betts, J. B. and Breznay, Nicholas P. and Analytis, James G. and McDonald, Ross David and Shekhter, Arkady},
abstractNote = {Here, the complex antiferromagnetic orders observed in the honeycomb iridates are a double-edged sword in the search for a quantum spin-liquid: both attesting that the magnetic interactions provide many of the necessary ingredients, while simultaneously impeding access. Focus has naturally been drawn to the unusual magnetic orders that hint at the underlying spin correlations. However, the study of any particular broken symmetry state generally provides little clue about the possibility of other nearby ground states. Here we use magnetic fields approaching 100 Tesla to reveal the extent of the spin correlations in γ-lithium iridate. We find that a small component of field along the magnetic easy-axis melts long-range order, revealing a bistable, strongly correlated spin state. Far from the usual destruction of antiferromagnetism via spin polarization, the high-field state possesses only a small fraction of the total iridium moment, without evidence for long-range order up to the highest attainable magnetic fields.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-017-00264-6},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 8,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}

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Works referenced in this record:

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Works referencing / citing this record:

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Pressure-induced structural dimerization in the hyperhoneycomb iridate β Li 2 IrO 3 at low temperatures
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Magnetic structure and excitation spectrum of the hyperhoneycomb Kitaev magnet β Li 2 IrO 3
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Magnetic field induced evolution of intertwined orders in the Kitaev magnet β Li 2 IrO 3
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Spin dynamics and field-induced magnetic phase transition in the honeycomb Kitaev magnet α Li 2 IrO 3
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Sawtooth Torque in Anisotropic j eff = 1 / 2 Magnets: Application to α − RuCl 3
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