Magnetization Process of Atacamite: A Case of Weakly Coupled S=1 /2 Sawtooth Chains
- Heinze, L.
- Jeschke, H. O.
- Mazin, I. I.
- Metavitsiadis, A.
- Reehuis, M.
- Feyerherm, R.
- Hoffmann, J. U.
- Bartkowiak, M.
- Prokhnenko, O.
- Wolter, A. U. B.
- Ding, X.
- Zapf, V. S.
- Corvalán Moya, Carolina del Huerto
- Weickert, F.
- Jaime, M.
- Rule, K. C.
- Menzel, D.
- Valentí, R.
- Brenig, W.
- Süllow, S.
DOIAbstract
We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of the mineral atacamite Cu2Cl(OH)3. Density-functional theory yields a Hamiltonian describing anisotropic sawtooth chains with weak 3D connections. Experimentally, we fully characterize the antiferromagnetically ordered state. Magnetic order shows a complex evolution with the magnetic field, while, starting at 31.5 T, we observe a plateaulike magnetization at about Msat/2. Based on complementary theoretical approaches, we show that the latter is unrelated to the known magnetization plateau of a sawtooth chain. Instead, we provide evidence that the magnetization process in atacamite is a field-driven canting of a 3D network of weakly coupled sawtooth chains that form giant moments.Fil...
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