Structural and magnetic studies of the frustrated S = 1 kagome magnet NH4Ni2Mo2O10H3

J Phys Condens Matter. 2024 Mar 7;36(22). doi: 10.1088/1361-648X/ad2aab.

Abstract

The strong geometric frustration of the kagome antiferromagnets (KAFMs) can destabilise conventional magnetic order and lead to exotic electronic states, such as the quantum spin-liquid state observed in someS=12KAFM materials. However, the ground state ofS = 1 KAFM systems are less well understood. Spin nematic phases and valence bond solid ground states have been predicted to form but a paucity of experimental realisations restricts understanding. Here, theS = 1 KAFM NH4Ni2Mo2O10H3is presented, which has the 3-fold symmetry of the kagome lattice but significant site depletion, with∼64%site occupancy. Frustration and a competition between exchange interactions are evidenced through the suppression of order below the Weiss temperature|θW|and observation of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic characteristics in the magnetisation data. A semi spin glass ground state is predicted based on the ac-field frequency dependence of the magnetic transition and ferromagnetic signal.

Keywords: S = 1 kagome magnet; canted local states; geometrically frustrated magnetism; semi spin glass.