$LnCu_3(OH)_6Cl_3 (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy)$: Heavy Lanthanides on Spin-1/2 Kagome Magnets

TL;DR

This study synthesizes and characterizes heavy lanthanide kagome antiferromagnets, revealing their magnetic properties and structural features, contributing to understanding frustrated magnetism in these complex materials.

Contribution

The paper reports the successful hydrothermal synthesis of three isostructural heavy lanthanide kagome antiferromagnets with detailed structural and magnetic characterization, expanding the family of kagome antiferromagnets.

Findings

Heavy lanthanides increase magnetic moments and ferromagnetic-like correlations.

All compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic order around 17 K.

Structural analysis confirms layered Cu-kagome lattice with lanthanide centers.

Abstract

The spin-1/2 kagome antiferromagnets are key prototype materials for studying frustrated magnetism. Three isostructural kagome antiferromagnets LnCu$_3$(OH)$_6$Cl$_3$ (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy) have been successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. LnCu$_3$(OH)$_6$Cl$_3$ adopts space group $P\overline{3}m1$ and features the layered Cu-kagome lattice with lanthanide Ln$^{3+}$ cations sitting at the center of the hexagons. Although heavy lanthanides (Ln = Gd, Tb, Dy) in LnCu$_3$(OH)$_6$Cl$_3$ provide a large effective magnetic moment and ferromagnetic-like spin correlations compared to light-lanthanides (Nd, Sm, Eu) analogues, Cu-kagome holds an antiferromagnetically ordered state at around 17 K like YCu$_3$(OH)$_6$Cl$_3$.