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Possible itinerant excitations and quantum spin state transitions in the effective spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Na2BaCo(PO4)2

Author

Listed:
  • N. Li

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Q. Huang

    (University of Tennessee)

  • X. Y. Yue

    (Anhui University)

  • W. J. Chu

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • Q. Chen

    (University of Tennessee)

  • E. S. Choi

    (Florida State University)

  • X. Zhao

    (University of Science and Technology of China)

  • H. D. Zhou

    (University of Tennessee)

  • X. F. Sun

    (University of Science and Technology of China
    Anhui University)

Abstract

The most fascinating feature of certain two-dimensional (2D) gapless quantum spin liquid (QSL) is that their spinon excitations behave like the fermionic carriers of a paramagnetic metal. The spinon Fermi surface is then expected to produce a linear increase of the thermal conductivity with temperature that should manifest via a residual value (κ0/T) in the zero-temperature limit. However, this linear in T behavior has been reported for very few QSL candidates. Here, we studied the ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity of an effective spin-1/2 triangular QSL candidate Na2BaCo(PO4)2, which has an antiferromagnetic order at very low temperature (TN ~ 148 mK), and observed a finite κ0/T extrapolated from the data above TN. Moreover, while approaching zero temperature, it exhibits series of quantum spin state transitions with applied field along the c axis. These observations indicate that Na2BaCo(PO4)2 possibly behaves as a gapless QSL with itinerant spin excitations above TN and its strong quantum spin fluctuations persist below TN.

Suggested Citation

  • N. Li & Q. Huang & X. Y. Yue & W. J. Chu & Q. Chen & E. S. Choi & X. Zhao & H. D. Zhou & X. F. Sun, 2020. "Possible itinerant excitations and quantum spin state transitions in the effective spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Na2BaCo(PO4)2," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18041-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18041-3
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