Synthesis and Characterization of Single Crystal Samples of Spin-$1/2$ Kagome Lattice Antiferromagnets in the Zn-Paratacamite Family Zn$_{x}$Cu$_{4-x}$(OH)$_{6}$Cl$_{2}$

TL;DR

This paper reports a new synthesis method for high-quality single crystals of Zn-paratacamite, enabling detailed magnetic and structural studies of spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnets with potential insights into frustrated magnetism.

Contribution

A novel synthesis technique for large single crystals of Zn-paratacamite, facilitating advanced characterization of kagome lattice antiferromagnets.

Findings

Successful growth of millimeter-sized single crystals

Magnetic susceptibility shows slight anisotropy at high temperatures

No structural transition observed down to 2 K

Abstract

The Zn-paratacamite family, Zn$_{x}$Cu$_{4-x}$(OH)$_{6}$Cl$_{2}$ for $x \, \geq$ 0.33, is an ideal system for studying spin-1/2 frustrated magnetism in the form of antiferromagnetic Cu$^{2+}$ kagome planes. Here we report a new synthesis method by which high quality millimeter-sized single crystals of Zn-paratacamite have been produced. These crystals have been characterized by metal analysis, x-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and thermodynamic measurements. The $x$ = 1 member of the series displays a magnetic susceptibility that is slightly anisotropic at high temperatures with $\chi_{c} \, > \, \chi_{ab}$. Neutron and synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments confirm the quality of these $x$ = 1 single crystals and indicate no obvious structural transition down to temperatures of T=2 K.