Magnetic Properties of the Spin-1/2 Deformed Kagome Antiferromagnet Edwardsite

TL;DR

This study investigates edwardsite, a new spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnet, revealing antiferromagnetic order below 4.3 K likely stabilized by Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interactions, contrasting with the expected spin-liquid state.

Contribution

First synthesis and magnetic characterization of edwardsite as a candidate kagome antiferromagnet with detailed analysis of its magnetic order and interactions.

Findings

Displays antiferromagnetic order below 4.3 K

Exhibits weak ferromagnetism likely due to spin canting

Sizable Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interactions stabilize magnetic order

Abstract

We prepared a powder sample of edwardsite Cd2Cu3(SO4)2(OH)6 4H2O, which is a new candidate compound for the spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnet, and studied its magnetic properties by magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements. Edwardsite has a deformed kagome lattice with an average antiferromagnetic interaction of 51 K between nearby spins and shows an antiferromagnetic order accompanied by a small ferromagnetic moment below 4.3 K. The weak ferromagnetism is likely due to spin canting caused by sizable Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interactions, which may stabilize the long-range magnetic order instead of a spin-liquid state expected for the kagome antiferromagnet.