Frustrated Magnetism of the Maple-Leaf-Lattice Antiferromagnet MgMn$_3$O$_7$$\cdot$3H$_2$O

TL;DR

This study introduces MgMn₃O₇·3H₂O as a new maple-leaf-lattice antiferromagnet, revealing complex magnetic transitions and plateau phenomena due to geometric frustration and chiral degrees of freedom.

Contribution

It reports the synthesis and characterization of a novel hydrated layered manganate with a maple-leaf-lattice structure, highlighting its magnetic properties and frustration effects.

Findings

Successive antiferromagnetic transitions at 5 and 15 K

Multi-step plateau-like anomalies in high-field magnetization

Evidence of geometric frustration and potential chiral effects

Abstract

We present a novel hydrated layered manganate MgMn$_3$O$_7$$\cdot$3H$_2$O as a maple-leaf-lattice (MLL) antiferromagnet candidate. The MLL is obtained by regularly depleting 1/7 of the lattice points from a triangular lattice so that the magnetic connectivity $z = 5$ and is thus intermediately frustrated between the triangular ($z = 6$) and kagom\'e ($z = 4$) lattices. In MgMn$_3$O$_7$$\cdot$3H$_2$O, the Mn$^{4+}$ ions, carrying Heisenberg spin 3/2, form a regular MLL lattice in the quasi-two-dimensional structure. Magnetization and heat capacity measurements using a hydrothermally-prepared powder sample reveal successive antiferromagnetic transitions at 5 and 15 K. A high-field magnetization curve up to 60 T at 1.3 K exhibits a multi-step plateau-like anomaly. We discuss the unique frustration of the MLL antiferromagnet in which the chiraldegree of freedom may play an important role.