The complex interplay of spin frustration and quantum fluctuations in low-dimensional quantum materials leads to a variety of intriguing phenomena. This research focuses on a detailed analysis of the magnetic behavior exhibited by NdZnPO, a bilayer spin-1/2 triangular lattice antiferromagnet. The investigation employs magnetization, specific heat, and powder neutron scattering measurements. At zero field, a long-range magnetic order is observed at TN=1.64K. Powder neutron diffraction experiments show the Ising-like magnetic moments along the c-axis, revealing a stripe-like magnetic structure with three equivalent magnetic propagation vectors. Application of a magnetic field along the c-axis suppresses the antiferromagnetic order, leading to a fully polarized ferromagnetic state above Bc=4.5T. This transition is accompanied by notable enhancements in the nuclear Schottky contribution. Moreover, the absence of spin frustration and expected field-induced plateau-like phases are remarkable observations. Detailed calculations of magnetic dipolar interactions revealed complex couplings reminiscent of a honeycomb lattice, suggesting the potential emergence of Kitaev-like physics within this system. This comprehensive study of the magnetic properties of NdZnPO highlights unresolved intricacies, underscoring the imperative for further exploration to unveil the underlying governing mechanisms.
@article{arxiv.2401.13318,
title = {Magnetic structure and Ising-like antiferromagnetism in the bilayer triangular lattice compound NdZnPO},
author = {Han Ge and Tiantian Li and S. E. Nikitin and Nan Zhao and Fangli Li and Huanpeng Bu and Jiayue Yuan and Jian Chen and Ying Fu and Jiong Yang and Le Wang and Ping Miao and Qiang Zhang and Ines Puente-Orench and Andrey Podlesnyak and Jieming Sheng and Liusuo Wu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.13318},
year = {2024}
}