Abstract
We report on the extension of the phase diagram of the magnetic model system zinc paratacamite, ZnCu(OH)Cl (), with compositions , up to . This amounts to diamagnetic doping of the kagome lattice of antiferromagnetically coupled Cu with in what was hitherto known as the end member in the series: herbertsmithite of stoichiometry ZnCu(OH)Cl. Combining chemical analysis, x-ray diffraction, magnetic susceptibility measurements, Raman spectroscopy and muon spin relaxation spectroscopy we conclude the following: (i) Herbertsmithite can be synthesized in stoichiometric form, but it is affected by antisite disorder of % in Cu content, implying that for , % of the Cu kagome sites is occupied by Zn. (ii) The Zn content can be increased up to . No qualitatively new behavior is found for the diamagnetically doped kagome lattice, only a continuation of the trends observed for samples with as is increased.
- Received 9 November 2011
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.85.014422
©2012 American Physical Society