Abstract
Sr2IrO4, a prototypical Jeff = 1/2 square lattice system, is widely studied for novel physics. While transition metal substitution effects are well explored, rare-earth doping at the Ir4+ site is less explored. Here we present a detailed magnetization and neutron diffraction study on Sr2Ir1−xTbxO4 (x = 0.11). The system tends to adopt an in-plane antiferromagnetic configuration with a “+ + ++” stacking sequence. Strong spin fluctuations persist down to the lowest measured temperature, consistent with the concave shape order parameter. A pronounced magnetic diffuse scattering rod develops along the L direction at low temperature, indicating the formation of short-range magnetic correlations with a characteristic length of ∼24(2) Å. This work provides a new pathway to exotic quantum phases in the strongly spin-orbit-coupled iridates.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 144430 |
| Journal | Physical Review B |
| Volume | 112 |
| Issue number | 14 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Oct 16 2025 |
Funding
ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC0500OR22725 for the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the We gratefully acknowledge discussions with Dr. F. Wang from Peking University. This research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor and Spallation Neutron Sources, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beam time was allocated to CORELLI on Proposal No. IPTS-26658 and HB1 on Proposal No. IPTS-19195. G.C. acknowledges NSF support via Grant No. DMR 2204811. This work has been partially supported by U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-13ER41967. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC0500OR22725 for the U.S. Department of Energy. The U.S. Government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for the U.S. Government purposes. The Department of Energy will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan [52]. We gratefully acknowledge discussions with Dr. F. Wang from Peking University. This research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor and Spallation Neutron Sources, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The beam time was allocated to CORELLI on Proposal No. IPTS-26658 and HB1 on Proposal No. IPTS-19195. G.C. acknowledges NSF support via Grant No. DMR 2204811. This work has been partially supported by U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-13ER41967.