2025/11/29 by Primer, Micaela E., Berseneva, Anna A., Ulde, Ayesha +2
#FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.00253
Subtle synthetic variables can have an outsizes influence on the crystal structure and magnetic properties of a material, particularly those of quantum materials. In this work, we investigate the impact of synthesis under a magnetic field (magnetosynthesis) on the crystal structure and magnetic properties of several Cu2+ (S=1/2) based materials with antiferromagnetic interactions and varying levels of magnetic frustration, from simple antiferromagnets to a quantum spin liquid. We employ small (0.09 - 0.37 T) magnetic fields applied during low-temperature hydrothermal or evaporative synthesis of the simple antiferromagnet CuCl2⋅2H2O, the canted antiferromagnet (Cu,Zn)3Cl4(OH)2⋅2H2O, the frustrated and canted antiferromagnet atacamite Cu2(OH)3Cl, and the highly frustrated quantum spin liquid herbertsmithite Cu3Zn(OH)6Cl2. We found that (Cu,Zn)3Cl4(OH)2⋅2H2O experiences structural changes well above its magnetic transition. Atacamite Cu2(OH)3Cl synthesized under a 0.19 T field experiences a 0.15 K (~3%) decrease in its Néel transition temperature and a significant strengthening of its antiferromagnetic interactions, suggesting that magnetosynthesis can influence the ground state of moderately frustrated materials.