Quantum spin chain as a potential realization of the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model

TL;DR

This paper investigates a quantum spin chain material, (NO)[Cu(NO3)3], which exhibits suppressed and incommensurate magnetic order due to frustration, aligning with the theoretical Nersesyan-Tsvelik model, highlighting potential for realizing frustrated quantum magnetic systems.

Contribution

The study provides experimental evidence of frustration-induced suppression of magnetic order in a new S-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain compound, supporting the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model.

Findings

Extreme suppression of magnetic order observed

Incommensurate magnetic order detected

Consistent with Nersesyan-Tsvelik frustration model

Abstract

It is well established that long-range magnetic order is suppressed in magnetic systems whose interactions are low-dimensional. The prototypical example is the S-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain (S-1/2 HAFC) whose ground state is quantum critical. In real S-1/2 HAFC compounds interchain coupling induces long-range magnetic order although with a suppressed ordered moment and reduced N\'eel temperature compared to the Curie-Weiss temperature. Recently, it was suggested that order can also be suppressed if the interchain interactions are frustrated, as for the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model. Here, we study the new S-1/2 HAFC, (NO)[Cu(NO3)3]. This material shows extreme suppression of order which furthermore is incommensurate revealing the presence of frustration consistent with the Nersesyan-Tsvelik model.