Magnetic order in van der Waals antiferromagnet CrPS4: anisotropic H-T phase diagrams and effects of pressure

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic phase transitions and anisotropic phase diagrams of the van der Waals antiferromagnet CrPS4 under various pressures, revealing a potential quantum phase transition at high pressure.

Contribution

It provides detailed anisotropic H-T phase diagrams and pressure effects on magnetic transitions in CrPS4, highlighting the rapid suppression of the spin reorientation transition under pressure.

Findings

Two magnetic transitions at ambient pressure: TN ~ 37 K and T* ~ 34 K.

TN is weakly suppressed by pressure (~ -0.1 K/kbar).

T* is rapidly suppressed (~ -2 K/kbar), indicating a possible quantum phase transition.

Abstract

Single crystalline samples of the van der Waals antiferromagnet CrPS4 were studied by measurements of specific heat and comprehensive anisotropic temperature- and magnetic field-dependent magnetization. In addition, measurements of the heat capacity and magnetization were performed under pressures of up to ~21 kbar and ~14 kbar respectively. At ambient pressure, two magnetic transitions are observed, second order from a paramagnetic to an antiferromagnetic state at TN ~ 37 K, and a first-order spin reorientation transition at T* ~ 34 K. Anisotropic H - T phase diagrams were constructed using the M(T,H) data. As pressure is increased, TN is weakly suppressed with dTN/dP ~ -0.1 K/kbar. T*, on the other hand, is suppressed quite rapidly, with dT*/dP ~ -2 K/kbar, extrapolating to a possible quantum phase transition at Pc ~ 15 kbar.