Abstract
We report Raman-scattering measurements on the quasi-two-dimensional quantum spin system and 0.1) in interlayer polarizations and temperatures between 5 K and 450 K. Upon approaching the structural phase transition at a strong anharmonic softening of an interlayer mode at is observed together with overtone features and a broadening of its linewidth. Moreover, an additional 3% softening toward low temperatures points to strong spin-phonon coupling of exchange origin. Our results suggest a significance of spin-phonon interactions, interlayer lattice dynamics, and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions to understand the magnetic behavior in this compound that has earlier been discussed in the framework of the two-dimensional Shastry-Sutherland spin system.
- Received 7 April 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.68.104418
©2003 American Physical Society