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Novel Quantum Spin Liquid States in the S=1/2 Three-Dimensional Compound Y_{3}Cu_{2}Sb_{3}O_{14}
Saikat Nandi1, Rounak Das2, M Hemmida3
1Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Department of Physics, Mumbai 400076, India.
Physical Review Letters
|May 11, 2026
Summary
This study investigates the frustrated magnet Y3Cu2Sb3O14, revealing no long-range magnetic order down to 0.077 K. Evidence suggests a developing quantum spin liquid state driven by antiferromagnetic interactions.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Quantum Magnetism
Background:
- The material Y3Cu2Sb3O14 features a three-dimensional S=1/2 system with two distinct Cu2+ sites.
- These sites form an edge-shared triangular lattice, a common structure in frustrated magnetic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the magnetic properties and ground state of the S=1/2 system Y3Cu2Sb3O14.
- To determine the presence or absence of long-range magnetic ordering and explore spin dynamics at low temperatures.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic susceptibility (χ(T)) and specific heat (Cp(T)) measurements.
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (89Y NMR), muon spin relaxation (μSR), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to determine magnetic interactions.
Main Results:
- Absence of long-range magnetic ordering down to 0.077 K, with persistent spin dynamics.
- An anomaly around 120 K in 89Y NMR suggests a fraction of spins forming a valence bond solid (VBS) state.
- μSR data indicates a VBS state between 60 K and 10 K, transitioning to a presumed quantum spin liquid state below 1 K.
Conclusions:
- Y3Cu2Sb3O14 does not exhibit long-range magnetic order, pointing towards a quantum spin liquid ground state.
- Antiferromagnetic interactions, particularly along the body diagonal, are dominant and drive magnetic frustration.
- The system displays complex spin behavior, including a fractional VBS state and a potential quantum spin liquid phase.
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