Spin chirality on a two-dimensional frustrated lattice

TL;DR

This paper investigates spin chirality in a two-dimensional Kagome lattice antiferromagnet, revealing an unusual phase transition and field-induced changes in spin textures, advancing understanding of frustrated magnetic systems.

Contribution

It introduces a new synthesis method for large single crystals of KFe3(OH)6(SO4)2 and explores its spin chirality and phase transitions using thermodynamic and neutron scattering techniques.

Findings

Unusual phase transition to an ordered ground state.

Magnetic field induces transitions between different spin textures.

Large single crystals enable detailed study of Kagome lattice magnetism.

Abstract

The collective behavior of interacting magnetic moments can be strongly influenced by the topology of the underlying lattice. In geometrically frustrated spin systems, interesting chiral correlations may develop that are related to the spin arrangement on triangular plaquettes. We report a study of the spin chirality on a two-dimensional geometrically frustrated lattice. Our new chemical synthesis methods allow us to produce large single crystal samples of KFe3(OH)6(SO4)2, an ideal Kagome lattice antiferromagnet. Combined thermodynamic and neutron scattering measurements reveal that the phase transition to the ordered ground-state is unusual. At low temperatures, application of a magnetic field induces a transition between states with different non-trivial spin-textures.