Spin-Glass Behavior in Hole-Doped Lithium Iridates

ORAL

Abstract

Honeycomb iridates have been proposed to host a quantum spin liquid ground state described by the Kitaev model. In these materials, the edge-sharing environment between neighboring isospin-1/2 moments favors strongly anisotropic bond-directional interactions. This creates three orthogonal planes of interaction which cannot be simultaneously satisfied, leading to strong frustration and an emergent spin liquid state. Though most candidate materials order at low temperatures, Kitaev interactions dominate. The three-dimensional β and γ phases of the lithium iridates, Li2IrO3, show an unusual incommensurate antiferromagnetic order at Ti~38K. Previous studies have suppressed magnetic order by applying weak magnetic fields and hydrostatic pressure; however, the role that frustration plays in these systems is still debated. Theory predicts that chemical substitution on magnetic sites can induce a spin-glass state in these materials, reflecting frustrated interactions. In this work, we report spin-glass behavior in hole-doped Li2IrO3 at low substitution levels, indicating the fragility and tunability of the incommensurate order and indicating the strength frustration.

*We acknowledge the Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and UC LEADs.

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Presenters

  • Mayia Vranas

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

Authors

  • Alejandro Ruiz

    • Physics, Univ of California - San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Mayia Vranas

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Benjamin Frandsen

    • Brigham Young University
    • Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young University

  • Arani Acharya

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Vikram Nagarajan

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Gilbert Lopez

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • University of California Berkeley

  • Nityan Nair

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California

  • Nicholas Breznay

    • Physics, Harvey Mudd College
    • Harvey Mudd College
    • Department of Physics, Harvey Mudd College
    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • Zahirul Islam

    • Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory
    • Argonne National Laboratory

  • Alex Frano

    • Physics, University of California, San Diego
    • Physics, Univ of California - San Diego
    • Physics, University of California San Diego
    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley

  • James G. Analytis

    • Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California
    • University of California Berkeley