Abstract
We report on the unconventional magnetism in the cubic B-site ordered double perovskite Ba2YMoO6, using ac and dc magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity and muon spin rotation. No magnetic order is observed down to 2 K while the Weiss temperature is similar to - 160 K. This is ascribed to the geometric frustration in the lattice of edge-sharing tetrahedra with orbitally degenerate Mo5+ s = 1/2 spins. Our experimental results point to a gradual freezing of the spins into a disordered pattern of spin singlets, quenching the orbital degeneracy while leaving the global cubic symmetry unaffected, and providing a rare example of a valence bond glass.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 177202 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 104 |
Issue number | 17 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Apr 2010 |
Keywords
- centered-cubic lattice
- magnetic-properties
- antiferromagnets
- crystal
- disorder
- phase
- order