Behavior of the frustrated spin dimer compound Ba3Mn2O8 in field

Ba3Mn2O8 is a triangular lattice compound of S=1 dimers exhibiting dispersive, single-triplet excitations that have been measured and successfully modeled in zero magnetic field [1]. To date, however, only bulk characteristics have been reported in the presence of field. We revisit the existing model and compare to inelastic neutron scattering data collected in applied field. These additional observables allow us to resolve degeneracies in the exchange and anisotropic terms of the existing model. The refined model gives a good account of the high-field excitations as well as the field-direction-dependent phase diagram previously reported on the basis of magnetization and susceptibility measurements [2]. One motivation for reexamining BMO now is the interest in the spin textures that may be hosted by triangular lattices of dimers, such as a novel type of skyrmion recently reported by Williams et al. [3]. While we conclude that Ba3Mn2O8 is unlikely to host such skyrmions, we discuss what interactions would be required to push the material into the skyrmion portion of the phase diagram.

[1] M.B. Stone, M.D. Lumsden, S. Chang, E.C. Samulon, C.D. Batista, I.R. Fisher, "Singlet-triplet dispersion reveals additional frustration in the triangular-lattice dimer compound Ba3Mn2O8," Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 23701 (2008)

[2] E.C. Samulon, K.A. Al-Hassanieh, Y-J. Jo, M.C. Shapiro, L. Balicas, C.D. Batista, I.R. Fisher, "Anisotropic phase diagram of the frustrated spin dimer compound Ba3Mn2O8," Phys. Rev. B 81 104421 (2010).

[3] F. Williams, D.A. Dahlbom, H. Zhang, S. Agarwal, K. Barros, C.D. Batista, "Skyrmions of frustrated dimer systems," arXiv:2506:22320