Sr$_3$LiIrO$_6$: a potential quantum spin liquid candidate in the one dimensional $d^4$ iridate family
Year: 2021
Type: preprint
Abstract: Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) offers a large variety of novel and extraordinary magnetic and electronic properties in otherwise `ordinary pool' of heavy ion oxides. Here we present a detailed study on an apparently isolated hexagonal 2$H$ spin-chain $d^4$ iridate Sr$_3$LiIrO$_6$ (SLIO) with geometric frustration. Our structural studies clearly reveal perfect Li-Ir chemical order in this compound. Our combined experimental and {\it ab-initio} electronic structure investigations establish a magnetic ground state with finite Ir$^{5+}$ magnetic moments in this compound, contrary to the anticipated nonmagnetic $J$=0 state. Furthermore, the dc magnetic susceptibility ($χ$), heat capacity ($C_p$) and spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT) studies unravel that despite having noticeable antiferromagnetic correlation among the Ir$^{5+}$ local moments, this SLIO system evades any kind of magnetic ordering down to at least 2 K due to geometrical frustration, arising from the comparable interchain Ir-O-O-Ir superexchange interaction strengths, hence promoting SLIO as a potential quantum spin liquid candidate.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Bandyopadhyay, Abhisek, Chakraborty, A., Bhowal, S., Kumar, Vinod, Sala, M. M., Efimenko, A., Meneghini, C., Dasgupta, I., Dasgupta, T. Saha, Mahajan, A. V., Ray, Sugata
Institutions: Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, ETH Zurich, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Politecnico di Milano, Roma Tre University, S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3208263172