Static and Dynamical Properties of the Spin- 1/2 Equilateral Triangular-Lattice Antiferromagnet Ba3CoSb2 O9

We present single-crystal neutron scattering measurements of the spin-1/2 equilateral triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Ba3CoSb2O9. Besides confirming that the Co2+ magnetic moments lie in the ab plane for zero magnetic field and then determining all the exchange parameters of the minimal quasi-2D spin Hamiltonian, we provide conclusive experimental evidence of magnon decay through observation of intrinsic line broadening. Through detailed comparisons with the linear and nonlinear spin-wave theories, we also point out that the large-S approximation, which is conventionally employed to predict magnon decay in noncollinear magnets, is inadequate to explain our experimental observation. Thus, our results call for a new theoretical framework for describing excitation spectra in low-dimensional frustrated magnets under strong quantum effects.