\beta-Mn: Emergent Simplicity in a Complex Structure

TL;DR

This study reveals that the complex crystal structure of eta-Mn leads to an emergent simple magnetic state, challenging the idea that complexity always results in complex emergent phenomena.

Contribution

We demonstrate that a complex metallic frustrated magnet can host a simple collective magnetic state, identified through neutron scattering and theoretical modeling.

Findings

Persistent magnetic diffuse scattering down to 0.05 K

Emergent spin structure mimics triangular lattice antiferromagnet

Structural complexity may enable new quantum states

Abstract

We investigate low-temperature spin correlations in the metallic frustrated magnet \beta-MnCo. Single-crystal polarised-neutron scattering experiments reveal the persistence of highly-structured magnetic diffuse scattering and the absence of periodic magnetic order to T=0.05 K. We employ reverse Monte Carlo refinements and mean-field theory simulations to construct a simple effective Hamiltonian which accounts for the magnetic scattering. The interactions we identify describe an emergent spin structure which mimics the triangular lattice antiferromagnet. The observation of a simple collective magnetic state in a complicated crystal structure is surprising because it reverses the established paradigm of elaborate emergent states arising from many-body interactions on simple lattices. We suggest that structural complexity may provide a route to realising new states of correlated quantum matter.