English

Unusual antiferromagnetic order and fluctuations in RbMn$_{6}$Bi$_{5}$

Superconductivity 2026-01-21 v1 Strongly Correlated Electrons

Abstract

Quasi-one-dimensional RbMn6_{6}Bi5_{5}, the first pressure-induced ternary Mn-based superconductor, exhibits a phase diagram analogous to those of cuprate and iron-based superconductors, with superconductivity neighboring antiferromagnetic order. Here, we use 55^{55}Mn and 87^{87}Rb nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to unravel its magnetic structure and fluctuations. Above the N\'eel temperature (TNT_{\rm N}), strong antiferromagnetic fluctuations dominate, characteristic of a paramagnetic state with pronounced spin-lattice relaxation rate enhancement. Below TNT_{\rm N}, a first-order phase transition establishes a commensurate antiferromagnetic order, where Mn atoms at the pentagon corners exhibit distinct magnetic moments with different orientations, while the central Mn atom carries no magnetic moment. The complex magnetic architecture, revealed by zero-field and high-magnetic-field NMR spectra, contrasts with earlier neutron diffraction models proposing uniform spin density waves, instead supporting localized moments ordering with charge rearrangement. The proximity of robust antiferromagnetic fluctuations to the high-pressure superconducting phase suggests a potential role for magnetic excitations in mediating unconventional Cooper pairing, akin to paradigmatic high-TcT_c systems. These findings provide critical insights into the interplay between geometric frustration, magnetic order, and superconductivity in manganese-based materials.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2601.12726,
  title  = {Unusual antiferromagnetic order and fluctuations in RbMn$_{6}$Bi$_{5}$},
  author = {Chao Mu and Long Chen and Jiabin Song and Wei Wu and Gang Wang and Jinguang Cheng and Zheng Li and Jianlin Luo},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2601.12726},
  year   = {2026}
}