Molecular Quantum Magnetism in LiZn2Mo3O8

Published

January 15, 2014

Author(s)

M. Mourigal, W. T. Fuhrman, J. P. Sheckelton, A. Wartelle, Jose Rodriguez Rivera, D. L. Abernathy, T. M. McQueen, Collin L. Broholm

Abstract

Inelastic neutron scattering at temperatures below 30 K from a powder of LiZn₂Mo₃O₈ demonstrates this triangular-lattice antiferromagnet hosts collective magnetic excitations from spin 1⁄2 Mo₃O₁₃ molecules. The excitation spectrum, that appears gapless and to extend up to 2.5 meV, remains surprisingly broad in momentum space and involves a third of the spins present above 100 K. The data are consistent with a disordered valence bond solid or a resonating valence bond state involving nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor spins.

Citation

Physical Review Letters

Volume

112

Issue

2

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Magnetism, spin liquids, Magnetic ordering

Citation

Mourigal, M. , Fuhrman, W. , Sheckelton, J. , Wartelle, A. , Rodriguez Rivera, J. , Abernathy, D. , McQueen, T. and Broholm, C. (2014), Molecular Quantum Magnetism in LiZn₂Mo₃O₈, Physical Review Letters, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=914763 (Accessed October 16, 2025)