We present a Raman spectroscopic investigation of the Herbertsmithite ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2, the first realization of a Heisenberg s=1/2 antiferromagnet on a perfect kagome lattice. The magnetic excitation spectrum of this compound is dominated by two components, a high temperature quasi elastic signal and a low temperature, broad maximum. The latter has a linear low energy slope and extends to high energy. We have investigated the temperature dependence and symmetry properties of both signals. Our data agree with previous calculations and point to a spin liquid ground state.
@article{arxiv.1005.4831,
title = {Interplay of thermal and quantum spin fluctuations on the kagome lattice},
author = {Dirk Wulferding and Peter Lemmens and Patric Scheib and Jens Roeder and Philippe Mendels and Mark A. de Vries and Shaoyan Chu and Tianheng Han and Young S. Lee},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1005.4831},
year = {2015}
}