Freezing of spin correlated nanoclusters in a geometrically frustrated magnet

Abstract

The effects of disorder on the geometrically frustrated magnet ${\mathrm{ZnCr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ are examined through magnetic susceptibility and inelastic neutron-scattering measurements on ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}^{2+}{\mathrm{Cd}}_{x}^{2+}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}.$ 3% Cd doping destroys the Ne\'el order of the parent compound, replacing it with a frozen phase of spin-correlated nanoclusters. The local spin structure of these nanoclusters endures through the paramagnetic, spin-glass, and N\'eel phases of the material.