Competing Instabilities in a Kitaev Model Candidate System

March 15, 2023
Competing Instabilities in a Kitaev Model Candidate System
Symmetrized neutron diffraction maps measured as a function of magnetic field indicating the evolution of the magnetic structure. The data is presented in three constant momentum transfer (Qperp) slices with Qperp integrated over the ranges indicated.

Scientific Achievement

An unexpectedly large in-plane magnetic anisotropy is observed in Na3Co2SbO6, and a rich variety of field-induced phases are characterized and found to be consistent with competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic instabilities.

Significance and Impact

The observed competing instabilities are consistent with a theory that predicts a nearby quantum spin liquid phase making Na3Co2SbO6 a promising system for finding exotic quantum phases via targeted tuning.

Research Details

  • Elastic neutron scattering data were collected on a twinned array of Na3Co2SbO6 crystals at HYSPEC using a 14 T cryomagnet and temperatures as low as 0.3 K.
  • Results complemented magnetometry and neutron and x-ray diffraction measurements measured at other facilities.

"Giant Magnetic In-Plane Anisotropy and Competing Instabilities in Na3Co2SbO6,”
X. Li, Y. Gu, Y. Chen, V. O. Garlea, K. Iida, K. Kamazawa, Y. Li, G. Deng, Q. Xiao, X. Zheng, Z. Ye, Y. Peng, I. A. Zaliznyak, J. M. Tranquada, Y. Li,
Physical Review X 12, 041024 (December 2022). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.12.041024