Multiferroic properties of the geometrically frustrated molecular spin-trimer compound TNN.CH3CN

ORAL

Abstract

A new route to multiferroicity has been proposed, which requires neither a Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction nor lattice distortion [1]. In this scenario, electric dipole moments emerge from lifting of ground-state degeneracy in a spin triangle embedded in a frustrated geometry. Well known spin triangles such as \textbraceleft Cu\textbraceright 3 suffer from Jahn-Teller distortion, which preempts the scenario, whereas organic spin trimers with perfect C3 symmetry are promising candidates. We have investigated the new organic compound TNN.CH3CN, which consists of triangular-lattice layers of the spin trimer TNN---tris[4-(1-oxyl-3-oxide-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazolin-2-yl)phenyl]amine---incorporating CH3CN. The magnetic-field-temperature phase diagram constructed from magnetization, ac dielectric constant, specific heat, and magnetic torque consists of several multiferroically ordered phases, which are in excellent agreement with theory. [1] Y. Kamiya and C. Batista, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 097202 (2012).

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Authors

  • Yasumasa Takano

    • University of Florida

  • Christopher Aoyama

    • University of Florida

  • Kosuke Takada

    • Osaka Prefecture University, Japan

  • Hironori Yamaguchi

    • Osaka Prefecture University, Japan

  • Toshio Ono

    • Osaka Prefecture University, Japan

  • Yasuyuki Shimura

    • ISSP, University of Tokyo, Japan

  • Toshiro Sakakibara

    • ISSP, University of Tokyo, Japan

  • Minseong Lee

    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

  • Eun Sang Choi

    • National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

  • Yoshitomo Kamiya

    • RIKEN, Japan

  • Hiroki Nakano

    • University of Hyogo, Japan

  • Cristian Batista

    • University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Yuko Hosokoshi

    • Osaka Prefecture University, Japan