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  Lin, G.; Jeong, J.; Kim, C.; Wang, Y.; Huang, Q.; Masuda, T.; Asai, S.; Itoh, S.; Günther, G.; Russina, M.; Lu, Z.; Sheng, J.; Wang, L.; Wang, J.; Wang, G.; Ren, Q.; Xi, C.; Tong, W.; Ling, L.; Liu, Z.; Wu, L.; Mei, J.; Qu, Z.; Zhou, H.; Wang, X.; Park, J.G.; Wan, Y.; Ma, J.: Field-induced quantum spin disordered state in spin-½ honeycomb magnet Na₂Co₂TeO₆. Nature Communications 12 (2021), p. 5559/1-8

10.1038/s41467-021-25567-7
Open Access Version

Abstract:
Spin-orbit coupled honeycomb magnets with the Kitaev interaction have received a lot of attention due to their potential of hosting exotic quantum states including quantum spin liquids. Thus far, the most studied Kitaev systems are 4d/5d-based honeycomb magnets. Recent theoretical studies predicted that 3d-based honeycomb magnets, including Na2Co2TeO6 (NCTO), could also be a potential Kitaev system. Here, we have used a combination of heat capacity, magnetization, electron spin resonance measurements alongside inelastic neutron scattering (INS) to study NCTO’s quantum magnetism, and we have found a field-induced spin disordered state in an applied magnetic field range of 7.5 T smaler B (up tack; b-axis) < 10.5 T. The INS spectra were also simulated to tentatively extract the exchange interactions. As a 3d-magnet with a field-induced disordered state on an effective spin-1/2 honeycomb lattice, NCTO expands the Kitaev model to 3d compounds, promoting further interests on the spin-orbital effect in quantum magnets.