Frustrated Spin One On A Diamond Lattice

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a spin one diamond lattice in NiRh2O4, which exhibits no magnetic order down to very low temperatures, suggesting potential for exotic quantum states like spin liquids.

Contribution

It introduces NiRh2O4 as a new material hosting a spin one diamond lattice, providing a platform to explore quantum spin liquids and topological paramagnet states.

Findings

No magnetic order observed down to 0.1 K

Presence of antiferromagnetic interactions

Possible valence-bond behavior in neutron scattering

Abstract

We report the discovery of a spin one diamond lattice in NiRh2O4. This spinel undergoes a cubic to tetragonal phase transition at T = 440 K that leaves all nearest neighbor interactions equivalent. In the tetragonal phase, magnetization measurements show a Ni2+ effective moment of p(eff) = 3.3(1) and dominant antiferromagnetic interactions with {\Theta}(CW) = -11.3(7) K. No phase transition to a long-range magnetically ordered state is observed by specific heat measurements down to T = 0.1 K. Inelastic neutron scattering measurements on sub-stoichiometric NiRh2O4 reveal possible valence-bond behavior and show no visible signs of magnetic ordering. NiRh2O4 provides a platform on which to explore the previously unknown and potentially rich physics of spin one interacting on the diamond lattice, including the realization of theoretically predicted quantum spin liquid and topological paramagnet states.