Electrochemically induced switching from antiferromagnetic spin-chain to frustrated spin-glass state in maple-leaf lattice Na2Mn3O7

TL;DR

This study demonstrates how electrochemical ion deintercalation in Na2Mn3O7 induces a transition from antiferromagnetic to spin-glass behavior, revealing a novel method to control magnetic states in low-dimensional materials.

Contribution

It is the first to show electrochemically induced spin-glass states in maple-leaf lattice materials, advancing understanding of magnetic frustration and ion intercalation effects.

Findings

Electrochemical ion removal switches magnetic order from AFM to spin-glass.

Density functional theory supports near-degeneracy of magnetic states.

Ion deintercalation introduces lattice disorder and frustration.

Abstract

We report the electrochemical tuning of magnetic properties in the Na2Mn3O7 maple-leaf lattice (MLL) through ion deintercalation, revealing a switch from the 1D antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin-chain behavior of the S=3/2 MLL structure to frustrated magnetism spin-glass behavior. By utilizing Na deintercalation, we stabilize ferromagnetic (FM) short-range interactions within the original short-range AFM system, creating magnetic frustration within the system beyond that induced from the MLL geometrically frustrated structure, leading to a spin-glass state. Magnetic and structural analyses, combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, demonstrate the near-degeneracy between AFM and FM configurations in Na2Mn3O7, suggesting that the altered lattice distortions and disorder introduced via deintercalation are responsible for the frustrated magnetism. Our findings provide a novel platform for studying low-dimensional magnetism, spin glass behavior, and potential applications in spintronics and computing technologies. This study represents the first observation of an induced spin glass state in MLL materials and is a rare example of electrochemically induced spin glass state, highlighting the critical role of ion intercalation in tuning magnetic interactions.