Nuclear magnetic resonance signature of the spin-nematic phase in LiCuVO$_{4}$ at high magnetic fields

TL;DR

This study uses nuclear magnetic resonance to identify a spin-nematic phase in LiCuVO4 at high magnetic fields, revealing a uniform magnetization state consistent with theoretical predictions.

Contribution

It provides the first microscopic NMR evidence of the spin-nematic phase in LiCuVO4, a state that breaks spin-rotation symmetry without transverse dipolar order.

Findings

Identification of a narrow high-field region with uniform magnetization

Observation of behavior consistent with spin-nematic state

Agreement with theoretical predictions for LiCuVO4

Abstract

We report a 51V nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the frustrated spin-1/2 chain compound LiCuVO4, performed in pulsed magnetic fields and focused on high-field phases up to 55 T. For the crystal orientations H // c and H // b we find a narrow field region just below the magnetic saturation where the local magnetization remains uniform and homogeneous, while its value is field dependent. This behavior is the first microscopic signature of the spin-nematic state, breaking spin-rotation symmetry without generating any transverse dipolar order, and is consistent with theoretical predictions for the LiCuVO4 compound.