SrCu(OH)₃Cl, an isolated equilateral triangle spin S=1/2 model system

Abstract

We have investigated the magnetic ground state properties of the quantum spin trimer compound strontium hydroxy copper chloride SrCu(OH)³Cl using bulk magnetization, specific heat measurements, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. SrCu(OH)3Cl consists of layers with isolated Cu²⁺ triangles and hence provides an opportunity to understand the magnetic ground state of an isolated system of S = 1/2 arranged on an equilateral triangle. Although magnetization measurements do not exhibit a phase transition to a long-range ordered state down to T = 2 K, they reveal the characteristic behavior of isolated trimers with an exchange of J=154 K. The Curie-Weiss behavior changes around 50-80 K, as is also seen in the NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate. In zero magnetic field, our specific heat data establish a second-order phase transition to an antiferromagnetic ground state below T= 1.2 K. We have drawn a magnetic field-temperature (H-T) phase diagram based on the specific heat measurements. The ESR data show divergence of the linewidth at lower temperatures, which precedes the phase transition to an antiferromagnetic long-range ordered state with unconventional critical exponents. The temperature variation of the g-factor further confirms the antiferromagnetic phase transition and reflects the underlying magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the compound.