NMR evidence for spin fluctuations in the bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O6

TL;DR

This study uses NMR to investigate the magnetic properties of bilayer La3Ni2O6, revealing persistent antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations similar to those in related compounds, despite the absence of magnetic order.

Contribution

It provides the first NMR evidence of spin fluctuations in bilayer La3Ni2O6, highlighting similarities to trilayer nickelates and advancing understanding of their electronic structure.

Findings

Presence of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations down to 5K

No phase transition observed in the bilayer compound

Similar electronic behavior to magnetically ordered trilayer nickelates

Abstract

We report nuclear magnetic resonance data in the bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O6. This material belongs to a family of low valence nickel oxides with square planar coordination of the Ni ions and is isoelectronic to the high temperature superconducting cuprates. Although the three layer nickelate compound exhibits a spin-state transition accompanied by antiferromagnetic order, the bilayer material shows no phase transition. The NMR data in the bilayer La3Ni2O6 reveal the presence of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations down to 5K that are surprisingly similar to those present in the magnetically ordered trilayer La4Ni3O8, suggesting a similar electronic structure in the paramagnetic phase of both compounds.