Breakdown of magnetic order in the pressurized 3D Kitaev iridate β-Li<sub>2</sub>IrO<sub>3</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

Novel electronic and magnetic properties are found in honeycomb lattice iridates, having dominant Kitaev interactions, due to the presence of strong spin-orbit coupling and electronic correlations. We present the measurements of magnetization, thermal expansion, magnetostriction, muon spin resonance, single crystal x-ray diffraction under hydrostatic pressure of 3D hyperhoneycomb β-Li2IrO3. These measurements are complemented by the ab initio calculations. The incommensurate magnetic order at 38 K initially increases as a function of hydrostatic pressure with a rate of 0.9 K/ GPa, consistent with the thermodynamic Ehrenfest relation. The partial polarization at 2.5 T decreases with increasing pressure signifies the instability of the magnetic order. The ordered state breaks down upon a first-order transition at around 1.4 GPa, giving way to a new ground state marked by the coexistence of dynamically correlated and frozen spins. This partial spin freezing may indicate the classical nature of the resulting pressure-induced spin-liquid, expected for large-Γ (nearest-neighbor off-diagonal exchange) limit [1].
[1] M. M., R. S. Manna et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 237202 (2018).

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Presenters

  • Rudra Sekhar Manna

    • Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, Renigunta Road, Settipalli post, Tirupati - 517506, AP, India

Authors

  • Rudra Sekhar Manna

    • Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, Renigunta Road, Settipalli post, Tirupati - 517506, AP, India

  • M Majumder

    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany

  • G. Simutis

    • PSI, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland

  • Orain Jean Christophe

    • Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute
    • PSI, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland

  • T. Dey

    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany

  • F. Freund

    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany

  • Anton Jesche

    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany

  • Rustem Khasanov

    • Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institute
    • Paul Scherrer Institut
    • Paul Scherrer Institute
    • Paul Sherrer Institut
    • PSI, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland

  • P. K. Biswas

    • ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
    • ISIS Neutron and Muon Sources, Science & Technology Facilities Council
    • ISIS Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Chilton, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK.
    • ISIS, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK

  • E. Bykova

    • Laboratory of Crystallography, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany

  • Natalia Dubrovinskaia

    • University of Bayreuth
    • Material Physics and Technology at Extreme Conditions, Laboratory of Crystallography, University of Bayreuth
    • Laboratory of Crystallography, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany

  • L. S. Dubrovinsky

    • Bavarian Geoinstitute, Bayreuth Univeristy
    • Bayerisches Geoinstitut, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany

  • R. Yadav

    • Institute for Theoretical Physics, IFW Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany

  • L. Hozoi

    • IFW Dresden
    • Institute for Theoretical Physics, IFW Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany

  • S. Nishimoto

    • Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden
    • Institute for Theoretical Physics, IFW Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany

  • Alexander Tsirlin

    • University of Augsburg
    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany

  • Philipp Gegenwart

    • EP VI, EKM, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany