2007/09/30 by Michael J. Lawler, Lars Fritz, Yong Baek Kim +1 · 1 citation
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides #Topological Materials and Phenomena #cond-mat.str-el
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.187201
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 187201 (2008) · 4+ pages, 4 figures; 2 page appendix. This version some clarifications and a two page appendix added
arxiv created 2008/04/18 · openalex publication_date 2008/05/05 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Recently, neutron scattering data on powder samples of Zn paratacamite, ZnxCu4-x(OH)6Cl2, with small Zn concentration has been interpreted as evidence for valence-bond solid and Néel ordering [S.-H. Lee, Nat. Mater. 6, 853 (2007)10.1038/nmat1986]. We study the classical and quantum Heisenberg models on the distorted kagome lattice appropriate for Zn paratacamite at low Zn doping. Our theory naturally leads to the emergence of the valence-bond solid and collinear magnetic order at zero temperature. Implications of our results to the existing experiments are discussed. We also suggest future inelastic neutron and x-ray scattering experiments that can test our predictions.