Spin Freezing in The Frustrated Disordered Quantum Magnet Ba$_{3}$(Mn$_{1-x}$V$_{x}$)$_{2}$O$_{8}$

TL;DR

This study explores how nonmagnetic V$^{5+}$ ions induce a spin glass state in a frustrated quantum magnet Ba$_{3}$(Mn$_{1-x}$V$_{x}$)$_{2}$O$_{8}$, revealing complex magnetic behavior influenced by disorder and anisotropy.

Contribution

It demonstrates that site disorder leads to a spin glass state with unusual insensitivity of heat capacity to unpaired spin density, highlighting the role of local singlet formation and anisotropy.

Findings

Unpaired spins form a spin glass below 210 mK.

Heat capacity per unpaired spin is insensitive to spin density.

Spin freezing is influenced by single-ion anisotropy.

Abstract

Ba$_3$Mn$_2$O$_8$ is a geometrically frustrated spin dimer compound. We investigate the effect of site disorder on the zero field phase diagram of this material by considering the solid solution Ba$_{3}$(Mn$_{1-x}$V$_{x}$)$_{2}$O$_{8}$, where nonmagnetic V$^{5+}$ ions partially substitute magnetic Mn$^{5+}$ ions. This substitution results in unpaired $S=1$ moments for half-substituted dimers, which are ungapped and therefore susceptible to types of magnetic order not present in the parent compound. AC susceptibility measurements of compositions between $x=0.046$ and $x=0.84$ show a sharp frequency- and composition-dependent kink at temperatures below 210mK, suggesting that unpaired spins form a spin glass. The case for a glassy state is made clearer by the absence of any sharp features in the specific heat. However, Ba$_{3}$(Mn$_{1-x}$V$_{x}$)$_{2}$O$_{8}$ is not a paradigmatic spin glass. Whereas both the freezing temperature and the Weiss temperature (determined from susceptibility above 1K) vary strongly as a function of composition, the heat capacity per unpaired spin is found to be insensitive (above the glass transition) to the density of unpaired spins for the broad regime $0.18\leq x \leq 0.84$. This surprising result is consistent with a scenario in which nearest-neighbor unpaired spins form local, possibly fluctuating, spin-singlets prior to the eventual spin freezing. The spin glass state is only found for temperatures below the energy scale of single-ion anisotropy, suggestive this plays a significant role in determining the eventual ground state. Possible ground states in the "dilute" limit ($x < 0.04$ and $x > 0.9$) are also discussed.