Spin-liquid ground state in the frustratedJ1−J2zigzag chain systemBaTb2O4

Abstract

We have investigated polycrystalline samples of the zigzag chain system ${\mathrm{BaTb}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ with magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, neutron powder diffraction, and muon spin relaxation $(\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{SR})$. No magnetic transitions are observed in the bulk measurements, while neutron diffraction reveals the presence of low-temperature, short-range, intrachain magnetic correlations between ${\text{Tb}}^{3+}$ ions. $\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{SR}$ indicates that these correlations are dynamic, as no signatures of static magnetism are detected by the technique down to 0.095 K. These combined findings provide strong evidence for a spin-liquid ground state in ${\mathrm{BaTb}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{4}$.