Abstract
The two-dimensional magnetic triangular lattice, with rare-earth local moments coupled through long-range interactions and hosting strong spin-orbit coupling, serves as an ideal platform for exploring novel quantum phenomena. Here, we report the physical properties of DyNiAl4Ge2 single crystals through comprehensive structural, magnetic, heat capacity, electrical transport, and neutron powder diffraction measurements. DyNiAl4Ge2 crystallizes in a trigonal lattice with the space group R3¯m, where Dy atoms form two-dimensional triangular lattice layers within the ab plane and stack along the c axis. Magnetic susceptibility measurement reveals a magnetic phase transition at TN = 9.0 K, further confirmed by the λ-shaped peak in the heat capacity curve. The obtained temperature-magnetic field phase diagram is relatively simple compared to other isostructural compounds, suggesting the absence of magnetic frustration. This is further evidenced by neutron powder diffraction, which shows a collinear antiferromagnetic ground state with a propagation vector k = (0, 0, 1.5), implying the absence of magnetic frustration in DyNiAl4Ge2. In this magnetic structure, Dy moments are aligned ferromagnetically within each triangular layer and arranged antiferromagnetically between adjacent layers along the c axis. Our results establish DyNiAl4Ge2 as a model system for understanding the interplay between RKKY interaction and geometrical frustration in this family of compounds.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 114402 |
| Journal | Physical Review Materials |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 2025 |
Funding
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 52425107 and No. 52071323) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. XDB1270202 and No. ZDBSLYJSC002). This research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.