Cluster-glass behaviour and large magnetocaloric effect in frustrated hyperkagome ferromagnet Li$_2$MgMn$_3$O$_8$

TL;DR

This study reveals that Li₂MgMn₃O₈ exhibits cluster-glass behavior with a large magnetocaloric effect near its ferromagnetic transition, driven by magnetic frustration on a hyperkagome lattice, with potential applications in magnetic cooling.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed investigation of the magnetic frustration, glassy dynamics, and magnetocaloric properties of the hyperkagome ferromagnet Li₂MgMn₃O₈, highlighting its cluster-glass state.

Findings

Displays ferromagnetic transition at 20.6 K with frustration effects.

Shows a large magnetocaloric effect with ΔSₘ ≈ 20 J/kg-K.

Exhibits cluster-glass behavior with significant memory effects.

Abstract

A detailed study of the structural and magnetic properties of the spin-$3/2$ hyperkagome lattice compound Li$_2$MgMn$_3$O$_8$ is reported. This material shows ferromagnetic response below $T_{\rm C} \simeq 20.6$ K, the temperature almost three times lower than the Curie-Weiss temperature $\theta_{\rm CW} \simeq 56.6$ K. Density-functional band-structure calculations suggest that this reduction in $T_{\rm C}$ may be caused by long-range antiferromagnetic couplings that frustrate nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic couplings on the hyperkagome lattice. Large magnetocaloric effect is observed around the $T_{\rm C}$ with a maximum value of isothermal entropy change $\Delta S_{\rm m}\simeq 20$ J/kg-K and a maximum relative cooling power of $RCP\simeq 840$ J/kg for the 7 T magnetic field change. Critical analysis of the magnetization data and scaling analysis of the magnetocaloric effect suggest the 3D Heisenberg/XY universality class of the transition. The DC and AC magnetization measurements further reveal glassy nature of the ferromagnetic transition. A detailed study of the non-equilibrium dynamics via magnetic relaxation and memory effect measurements demonstrates that the system evolves through a large number of intermediate metastable states and manifests significant memory effect in the cluster-glass state.