A New Yb-based Spin-1/2 Triangular Lattice Magnet

Very recently, two rare earth (R)-based triangular lattice (TL) materials, YbMgGaO₄ and NaYbO₂, are proposed to be quantum spin liquid candidate. From the structural point of view, the magnetic R atoms of these two compounds display a “ABCABC” stacking form in c axis. However, seldom research is focused on the “AA” cubic stacking R-based TL materials. Here, we present a cubic stacking Yb-based TL magnet. The centimeter-size single crystals of Yb-based TL magnet were grown by the flux method. In the crystal structure, the Yb-Yb separation (8.06 angstroms) between layers is larger than the in-plane Yb-Yb separation (5.63 angstroms). The absence of long-range ordering was confirmed by the magnetization (down to 1.8 K). Specific heat measured down to 0.3 K at zero field also confirmed the absence of long-range ordering. For applied field above 3 T, there is still no evidence of long-range magnetic ordering, but instead, a broad peak appears. This broad hump is associated with Schottky anomaly that shifts to higher temperatures at higher fields.