Magnetism of single crystal α-RuCl3 investigated by muon spin rotation

ORAL

Abstract

We have performed muon spin rotation measurements on single crystal α-RuCl3, a honeycomb layered ruthenate that has been proposed to be close to a Kitaev quantum spin liquid ground state. Our investigation finds a single transition to long range magnetic order near $8$~K, in contrast to the two distinct transitions we previously observed in muon spin rotation measurements of a α-RuCl3 powder sample [Lang et al, PRB 94 (2016) 020407(R)]. We interpret this in the light of a structural phase transition that has been recently discovered in high purity single crystals of this material. By employing density functional theory calculations we identify the likely muon stopping sites in this material and combine these with dipolar field calculations to investigate which previously reported zigzag antiferromagnetic structures are consistent with the two experimentally observed muon rotation frequencies.

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Presenters

  • Franz Lang

    Physics Department, University of Oxford

Authors

  • Franz Lang

    Physics Department, University of Oxford

  • Stephen Blundell

    Oxford University, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Physics Department, University of Oxford

  • Dharmalingam Prabhakaran

    Condensed Matter Physics, University of Oxford, Physics Department, University of Oxford, Physics, University of Oxford, Physics , University of Oxford, University of Oxford, Physics, Oxford Univ