ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Gapless spin excitations due to feasible nematic correlation in a frustrated zigzag chain of the magnetic semiconductor YbCuS2

Abstract: We focus on a Yb-based semiconductor YbCuS2, which was recently proposed as the first substance exhibiting peculiar quantum phases due to the frustrated Yb3+ zigzag chain. A first-order phase transition at TO = 0.95 K exhibits reentrant behavior in magnetic fields. The ordered moments of the Yb ions are reduced to 0.3 muB/Yb and are incommensurately aligned on the ac plane, forming an elliptical helix structure. Numerical calculations and e?ective low-energy theories suggest that a finite anisotropic exchange term converts the spin dimer-singlet state into a coexisting nematic dimer-singlet state, where novel gapless spin excitations are expected. The current proposal uses high-resolution inelastic neutron scattering to directly observe the gapless excitations resulting from the development of spin nematic correlations in the Yb zigzag chain.

Principal Investigator: Professor Takahiro Onimaru
Local Contact: Dr Franz Demmel
Experimenter: Mr SHINJI OKADA
Experimenter: Dr Devashi Adroja
Experimenter: Mr Hiroto Suzuki
Experimenter: Dr Duc Le

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2520041

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2520041

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Professor Takahiro Onimaru et al; (2025): Gapless spin excitations due to feasible nematic correlation in a frustrated zigzag chain of the magnetic semiconductor YbCuS2, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2520041

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.