Rotational tunneling of methyl groups and the electronic heat capacity of EtMe3Sb[Pd(dmit)2]2 under magnetic fields

Abstract

In order to discuss the stability of the gapless features in the spin liquid state against magnetic fields, we report results and analyses of low-temperature heat capacity measurements of EtMe3Sb[Pd(dmit)2]2 under magnetic fields. The large upturn of [Formula: see text] at 0 T observed previously in EtMe3Sb[Pd(dmit)2]2 can be attributed to the rotational tunneling of the methyl groups in the counter cations and this upturn is suppressed by applying magnetic fields. The phenomenological resemblance of the feature under magnetic field was confirmed by comparative discussion of heat capacity measurement of metal complex of [Cu(acac)(OCH[Formula: see text]]2 having similar methyl groups. The gapless character evidenced by the finite electronic heat capacity coefficient, [Formula: see text] was found to be retained upon applying 17 T in EtMe3Sb[Pd(dmit)2]2, which means that spin liquid ground state is stable against high magnetic fields. The finite [Formula: see text] in the spin liquid compounds is considered to be related to a kind of density of states in spin excitations rather than those determined by disorders such as spin glasses.