Investigating Magnetic Properties of Rare Earth Layered Borates Ba3Ln(BO3)3, Ln=Gd, Nd, Dy

Rare earth layered borate with the general formula of Ba₃RE(BO₃)₃ recently emerged as a platform to study frustrated magnetism due to its triangular lattice arrangement of its magnetic ions. This family of materials is known to crystallize in two distinct structural types. For Ln = La–Tb, the compounds adopt a trigonal structure (type I) with space group R-3. In contrast, for Ln = Dy–Lu, Y, Sc, the compounds may crystallize either in the same trigonal structure (type I, space group R-3) or in a hexagonal structure (type II) with space group P6₃cm, depending on the synthesis temperature. Previous studies have revealed a range of exotic magnetic behaviors in this family, including a proposed spin-1/2 quantum dipole lattice in Ba₃Yb(BO₃)₃and two-sublattice exchange physics in Ba₃Er(BO₃)₃. Ba₃Tb(BO₃)₃ has also been shown to host a singlet ground state with a low-lying doublet. In this study, we synthesized Ba₃Ln(BO₃)₃ Ln=Gd, Nd, Dy, and investigated its structure and magnetic properties. We also explore chemical doping at the Ln site with two rare-earth elements to examine how magnetic interactions evolve with doping.