Coexistence of long-range magnetic ordering and singlet ground state in the spin-ladder superconductor SrCa13Cu24O41

A long-range magnetic order was discovered in the quasi-one-dimensional spin-ladder compound SrCa13Cu24O41 by susceptibility, specific heat, and neutron diffraction experiments. The temperature dependence of the magnetic Bragg peak intensity could be well fitted to the power law with a transition temperature TN = 4.23 K and a critical exponent β = 0.28, indicating a three-dimensional phase transition for a low-dimensional magnet. A computer program was coded and found two possible magnetic structure models fitting best with all the observed magnetic peaks. These models suggest the spin-ladder sublattice is magnetically ordered with Cu moments aligning along the a axis. The spin interactions are primarily antiferromagnetic along rungs and legs, while there are ferromagnetic clusters along legs. Surprisingly, the singlet-triplet spin-gap excitation is observable above and below TN, indicating a coexistence of the spin-singlet ground state and long-range magnetic ordering state in this compound. © 2013, American Physical Society