Unique magnetic transition process demonstrating the effectiveness of bond percolation theory in a quantum magnet.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39587071.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-54335-6 and PMC identifier 11589851.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Like the crystallization of water to ice, magnetic transition occurs at a critical temperature after the slowing down of dynamically fluctuating short-range correlated spins. Here, we report a unique type of magnetic transition characterized by a linear increase in the volume fraction of unconventional static short-range-ordered spin clusters, which triggered a transition into a long-range order at a threshold fraction perfectly matching the bond percolation theory in a new quantum antiferromagnet of pseudo-trigonal Cu<sub>4</sub>(OH)<sub>6</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub>. Static short-range order appeared in its Kagome lattice plane below ca. 20 K from a pool of coexisting spin liquid, linearly increasing its fraction to 0.492(8), then all Kagome spins transitioned into a stable two-dimensional spin order at T<sub>N</sub> = 5.5 K. Inspection on the magnetic interactions and quantum magnetism revealed an intrinsic link to the spin liquid material Herbertsmithite, ZnCu<sub>3</sub>(OH)<sub>6</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub>. The unconventional static nature of the short-range order was inferred to be due to a pinning effect by the strongly correlated coexisting spin liquids. This work presents a unique magnetic system to demonstrate a complete bond percolation process toward the critical transition. Meanwhile, the unconventionally developed magnetic order in this chemically clean system should shed new light on spin-liquid physics.