Kitaev Spin Liquid Candidate OsxCl3 Comprised of Honeycomb Nano-Domains

K Kataoka, D Hirai, T Yajima…�- Journal of the Physical�…, 2020 - journals.jps.jp
Journal of the Physical Society of Japan, 2020journals.jps.jp
An osmium chloride with the chemical formula of Os x Cl3 (x= 0.81) was synthesized and its
crystal structure and thermodynamic properties were investigated. Os x Cl3 crystallizes in a
layered CdCl2-type structure with the triangular lattice partially occupied by Os ions on
average. However, on microscopic length scales, the triangular lattice is composed of nano-
domains with a honeycomb arrangement of Os ions, as observed by electron microscopy
and Raman scattering experiments. Magnetization and heat capacity measurements�…
An osmium chloride with the chemical formula of OsxCl3 (x = 0.81) was synthesized and its crystal structure and thermodynamic properties were investigated. OsxCl3 crystallizes in a layered CdCl2-type structure with the triangular lattice partially occupied by Os ions on average. However, on microscopic length scales, the triangular lattice is composed of nano-domains with a honeycomb arrangement of Os ions, as observed by electron microscopy and Raman scattering experiments. Magnetization and heat capacity measurements revealed an absence of magnetic long-range order down to 0.08 K, while a broad peak in heat capacity at 0.15 K may indicate a short-range order in the local honeycomb lattice. OsxCl3 may exhibit certain aspects of the Kitaev spin liquid that are expected for a perfect honeycomb lattice of osmium trichloride.
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