Abstract

Here, we report the synthesis and magnetic properties of a Yb-based triangular-lattice compound LiYbS$_2$. At low temperatures, it features an effective spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ state due to the combined effect of crystal electric field and spin orbit coupling. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and $^7$Li nuclear magnetic resonance experiments reveal the absence of magnetic long range ordering down to 2~K, which suggests a possible quantum spin liquid ground state. A dominant antiferromagnetic nearest neighbour exchange interaction $J/k_{\rm B}\simeq$ 5.3~K could be extracted form the magnetic susceptibility. The NMR linewidth analysis yields the coupling constant between the Li nuclei and Yb$^{3+}$ ions which was found to be purely dipolar in nature.

Highlights

  • Quantum spin liquid (QSL), a highly entangled state with fractionalized excitations that evade magnetic long-range order down to zero temperature, has been attracting the attention of condensed matter research for several decades [1,2,3,4]

  • In the low temperature regime, where the crystal electric-field excitations can be neglected, a change of slope is observed in the inverse susceptibility associated with the Kramers ground state

  • We have investigated the Yb-based triangular lattice QSL candidate LiYbS2 through magnetization and 7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements

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Summary

Introduction

Quantum spin liquid (QSL), a highly entangled state with fractionalized excitations that evade magnetic long-range order down to zero temperature, has been attracting the attention of condensed matter research for several decades [1,2,3,4]. Magnetic susceptibility measurements and 7 Li nuclear magnetic resonance experiments reveal the absence of magnetic long range ordering down to 2 K, which suggests a possible quantum spin liquid ground state. At temperatures considerably lower than the energy gap ∆ between the ground state and the first excited state doublet, the magnetic properties can be described by an effective spin- 12 local moment.

Results
Conclusion

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