arXiv subjects

Jan Peter Embs

Publications and source records attributed to Jan Peter Embs.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Vanishing ordered moment in the frustrated triangular lattice antiferromagnet CuNdO$_2$

We investigate the magnetic ground state of CuNdO$_2$, which is a delafossite with a triangular lattice of magnetic Nd$^{3+}$ ions that are well separated by non-magnetic Cu spacer layers. From inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the crystal electric field, we determine the strong Ising character of the pseudo-spin 1/2 Nd$^{3+}$ moments. Magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity measurements reveal the onset of long-range antiferromagnetic order at $T_N=0.78$ K. While the magnetic transition is definitively observed with muon spin relaxation, accompanied by the formation of a weakly dispersing spin wave excitation, no dipole-ordered moment is detected with neutron diffraction. We show that the apparent absence of a dipolar ordered moment is a consequence of the dominant Ising character of the antiferromagnetically coupled Nd$^{3+}$ moments, which experience extreme frustration on the triangular lattice. Consequently, the frustration in CuNdO$_2$ is relieved through in-plane ordering of the substantially smaller perpendicular component of the Nd$^{3+}$ moments into a 120\textdegree\ structure, with a nearly vanishing ordered moment.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Magnetically disordered ground state in the triangular-lattice antiferromagnets Rb$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$ and Cs$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$

Quantum spin liquids~(QSLs) represent a unique quantum disordered state of matter that hosts long-range quantum entanglement and fractional excitations. However, structural disorder resulting from site mixing between different types of ions usually arises in real QSL candidates, which is considered as an obstacle to gain the insight into the intrinsic physics. Here, we have synthesized two new rare-earth compounds Rb$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$ and Cs$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$. X-ray diffractions reveal a perfect triangular-lattice structure with no detectable disorder. Magnetic susceptibility measurements do not capture any phase transition or spin freezing down to 1.8~K. A fit to low-temperature data indicates dominant antiferromagnetic interactions with the Curie-Weiss temperature of -1.40~K and -0.43~K for Rb$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$ and Cs$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$, respectively. Specific heat results show no sign of long-range magnetic order down to $\sim$0.1~K either, but only a Schottky anomaly that is continuously mediated by the external magnetic fields. Additionally, inelastic neutron scattering is employed to detect low-energy spin excitations in Rb$_3$Yb(VO$_4$)$_2$. The absence of magnetic excitation signals as well as static magnetic order down to 97~mK aligns with the results from magnetic susceptibility and specific heat. Collectively, these findings point to a quantum disordered ground state with persistent spin dynamics, reminiscent of QSL behaviors. Our work provides a promising platform for further exploration of quantum magnetism in this new disorder-free system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Directly observing atomic-scale relaxations of a glass forming liquid using femtosecond X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy

Glass forming liquids exhibit structural relaxation behaviors, reflecting underlying atomic rearrangements on a wide range of timescales. These behaviors play a crucial role in determining many material properties. However, the relaxation processes on the atomic scale are not well understood due to the experimental difficulties in directly characterizing the evolving correlations of atomic order in disordered systems. Here, taking the model system Ge15Te85, we demonstrate an experimental approach that probes the relaxation dynamics by scattering the coherent X-ray pulses with femtosecond duration produced by X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs). By collecting the summed speckle patterns from two rapidly successive, nearly identical X-ray pulses generated using a split-delay system, we can extract the contrast decay of speckle patterns originating from sample dynamics and observe the full decorrelation of local order on the sub-picosecond timescale. This provides the direct atomic-level evidence of fragile liquid behavior of Ge15Te85. Our results demonstrate the strategy for XFEL-based X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS), attaining femtosecond temporal and atomic-scale spatial resolutions. This twelve orders of magnitude extension from the millisecond regime of synchrotron-based XPCS opens a new avenue of experimental studies of relaxation dynamics in liquids, glasses, and other highly disordered systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Possible gapless quantum spin liquid behavior in the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet PrMgAl$_{11}$O$_{19}$

Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) represent a novel state where spins are highly entangled but do not order even at zero temperature due to strong quantum fluctuations. Such a state is mostly studied in Heisenberg models defined on geometrically frustrated lattices. Here, we turn to a new triangular-lattice antiferromagnet PrMgAl$_{11}$O$_{19}$, in which the interactions are believed to be of Ising type. Magnetic susceptibility measured with an external field along the $c$ axis is two orders of magnitude larger than that with a field in the $ab$ plane, displaying an ideal easy-axis behavior. Meanwhile, there is no magnetic phase transition or spin freezing observed down to 1.8 K. Ultralow-temperature specific heat measured down to 50 mK does not capture any phase transition either, but a hump at 4.5 K, below which the magnetic specific heat exhibits a quasi-quadratic temperature dependence that is consistent with a Dirac QSL state. Inelastic neutron scattering technique is also employed to elucidate the nature of its ground state. In the magnetic excitation spectra, there is a gapless broad continuum at the base temperature 55~mK, in favor of the realization of a gapless QSL. Our results provide a scarce example for the QSL behaviors observed in an Ising-type magnet, which can serve as a promising platform for future research on QSL physics based on an Ising model.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Coupled frustrated ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic quantum spin chains in the quasi-one-dimensional mineral antlerite, Cu$_3$SO$_4$(OH)$_4$

Magnetic frustration, the competition among exchange interactions, often leads to novel magnetic ground states with unique physical properties which can hinge on details of interactions that are otherwise difficult to observe. Such states are particularly interesting when it is possible to tune the balance among the interactions to access multiple types of magnetic order. We present antlerite, Cu$_3$SO$_4$(OH)$_4$, as a potential platform for tuning frustration. Contrary to previous reports, the low-temperature magnetic state of its three-leg zigzag ladders is a quasi-one-dimensional analog of the magnetic state recently proposed to exhibit spinon-magnon mixing in botallackite. Density functional theory calculations indicate that antlerite's magnetic ground state is exquisitely sensitive to fine details of the atomic positions, with each chain independently on the cusp of a phase transition, indicating an excellent potential for tunability.

cond-mat.str-el↗