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arXiv · 1904.11933

Magnetic frustration and spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking in PdCrO2

Dan Sun·Dmitry Sokolov·Jack Bartlett·Jhuma Sannigrahi·Seunghyun Khim·Pallavi Kushwaha·Dmitry D. Khalyavin·Pascal Manuel·Alexandra S. Gibbs·Andrew P. Mackenzie·Clifford W. Hicks
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Abstract

In the triangular layered magnet PdCrO2 the intralayer magnetic interactions are strong, however the lattice structure frustrates interlayer interactions. In spite of this, long-range, 120$^\circ$ antiferromagnetic order condenses at $T_N = 38$~K. We show here through neutron scattering measurements under in-plane uniaxial stress and in-plane magnetic field that this occurs through a spontaneous lifting of the three-fold rotational symmetry of the nonmagnetic lattice, which relieves the interlayer frustration. We also show through resistivity measurements that uniaxial stress can suppress thermal magnetic disorder within the antiferromagnetic phase.

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Dan Sun, Dmitry Sokolov, Jack Bartlett, Jhuma Sannigrahi, Seunghyun Khim, Pallavi Kushwaha, Dmitry D. Khalyavin, Pascal Manuel, Alexandra S. Gibbs, Andrew P. Mackenzie, Clifford W. Hicks. 2019-05-16. Magnetic frustration and spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking in PdCrO2. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.100.094414

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