Abstract
Magnetically frustrated triangular lattice materials are predicted to host exotic quantum states in the presence of conduction electrons. Yet, materials wherein the balance between short-range frustrated exchange interactions and long-range Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions can be fine tuned remain rare. Here, we present a comprehensive investigation of the triangular-lattice antiferromagnet CeLi3Bi2. Heat capacity, electrical resistivity, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) indicate that CeLi3Bi2 is a low-carrier-density semimetal, in agreement with our band structure calculations. Further, NMR spin-lattice relaxation results reveal competing RKKY interactions and weak Kondo screening. Thermodynamic, magnetization, and neutron diffraction data are well described by an isolated ground-state Kramers doublet that orders antiferromagnetically at TN=1.28 K in a stripe structure, a strong indicator of magnetic frustration. Our combined findings place CeLi3Bi2 as a promising platform for tuning the interplay between geometric frustration and RKKY physics.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 094401 |
| Journal | Physical Review B |
| Volume | 111 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 1 2025 |
Funding
We thank H. Yasuoka, H. Oike, and N. Curro for fruitful discussions. Work at Los Alamos was primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences Quantum Fluctuations in Narrow Band Systems program. M.M.B. and C.G. acknowledge support from the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program. Neutron diffraction measurements and measurements at the National High Magnetic Field Facility were supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, National Quantum Information Sciences Research Centers, Quantum Science Center. Scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray measurements were performed at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science. A portion of this research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.