2016/12/31 by A. Zorko, M. Herak, Mirta Herak +7
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #Antiferromagnetism #Condensed matter physics #Electron #Ground state #Magnetic field #Magnetism #Magnetometer #Multiferroics and related materials #Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Quantum #Quantum mechanics #Quantum spin liquid #Spin (aerodynamics) #Spin polarization #Spins #cond-mat.str-el
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.118.017202
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 017202 (2017) · Published version with minor text corrections
arxiv created 2017/01/05 · openalex publication_date 2017/01/05 · arxiv updated 2017/01/06 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Employing complementary torque magnetometry and electron spin resonance on single crystals of herbertsmithite, the closest realization to date of a quantum kagome antiferromagnet featuring a spin-liquid ground state, we provide novel insight into different contributions to its magnetism. At low temperatures, two distinct types of defects with different magnetic couplings to the kagome spins are found. Surprisingly, their magnetic response contradicts the threefold symmetry of the ideal kagome lattice, suggesting the presence of a global structural distortion that may be related to the establishment of the spin-liquid ground state.