Refining the Spin Hamiltonian in the Spin-1/2 Kagome Lattice Antiferromagnet ZnCu[subscript 3](OH)[subscript 6]Cl[subscript 2] Using Single Crystals
Author(s)
Han, Tianheng; Chu, Shaoyan; Lee, Young S.
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We report thermodynamic measurements of the S=1/2 kagome lattice antiferromagnet ZnCu[subscript 3](OH)[subscript 6]Cl[subscript 2], a promising candidate system with a spin-liquid ground state. Using single crystal samples, the magnetic susceptibility both perpendicular and parallel to the kagome plane has been measured. A small, temperature-dependent anisotropy has been observed, where χ[subscript z]/χ[subscript p]>1 at high temperatures and χ[subscript z]/χ[subscript p]<1 at low temperatures. Fits of the high-temperature data to a Curie-Weiss model also reveal an anisotropy. By comparing with theoretical calculations, the presence of a small easy-axis exchange anisotropy can be deduced as the primary perturbation to the dominant Heisenberg nearest neighbor interaction. These results have great bearing on the interpretation of theoretical calculations based on the kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet model to the experiments on ZnCu[subscript 3](OH)[subscript 6]Cl[subscript 2].
Date issued
2012-04Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Materials Science and Engineering; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of PhysicsJournal
Physical Review Letters
Publisher
American Physical Society
Citation
Han, Tianheng, Shaoyan Chu, and Young Lee. “Refining the Spin Hamiltonian in the Spin-1/2 Kagome Lattice Antiferromagnet ZnCu_{3}(OH)_{6}Cl_{2} Using Single Crystals.” Physical Review Letters 108.15 (2012). © 2012 American Physical Society
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0031-9007
1079-7114