Field-Induced Quantum Soliton Lattice in a Frustrated Two-Leg Spin-1/2 Ladder

F. Casola, T. Shiroka, A. Feiguin, S. Wang, M. S. Grbić, M. Horvatić, S. Krämer, S. Mukhopadhyay, K. Conder, C. Berthier, H.-R. Ott, H. M. Rønnow, Ch. Rüegg, and J. Mesot
Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 187201 – Published 30 April 2013

Abstract

Based on high-field P31 nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and accompanying numerical calculations, it is argued that in the frustrated S=1/2 ladder compound BiCu2PO6 a field-induced soliton lattice develops above a critical field of μ0Hc1=20.96(7) T. Solitons result from the fractionalization of the S=1, bosonlike triplet excitations, which in other quantum antiferromagnets are commonly known to experience Bose-Einstein condensation or to crystallize in a superstructure. Unlike in spin-Peierls systems, these field-induced quantum domain walls do not arise from a state with broken translational symmetry and are triggered exclusively by magnetic frustration. Our model predicts yet another second-order phase transition at Hc2>Hc1, driven by soliton-soliton interactions, most likely corresponding to the one observed in recent magnetocaloric and other bulk measurements.

  • Received 27 November 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.187201

© 2013 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

F. Casola1,2,*, T. Shiroka1,2, A. Feiguin3, S. Wang4,5, M. S. Grbić6,7, M. Horvatić7, S. Krämer7, S. Mukhopadhyay7, K. Conder4, C. Berthier7, H.-R. Ott1,2, H. M. Rønnow5, Ch. Rüegg8,9, and J. Mesot1,2

  • 1Laboratorium für Festkörperphysik, ETH Hönggerberg, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
  • 2Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
  • 3Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
  • 4Laboratory for Developments and Methods, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
  • 5Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
  • 6Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, P.O. Box 331, HR-10002 Zagreb, Croatia
  • 7Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses, LNCMI-CNRS (UPR3228), UJF, UPS and INSA, B.P. 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
  • 8Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
  • 9DPMC-MaNEP, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland

  • *fcasola@phys.ethz.ch

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Vol. 110, Iss. 18 — 3 May 2013

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