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Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Signature of the Spin-Nematic Phase in LiCuVO4 at High Magnetic Fields

A. Orlova, E. L. Green, J. M. Law, D. I. Gorbunov, G. Chanda, S. Krämer, M. Horvatić, R. K. Kremer, J. Wosnitza, and G. L. J. A. Rikken
Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 247201 – Published 12 June 2017
Physics logo See Viewpoint: Closing in on a Magnetic Analog of Liquid Crystals
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    Abstract

    We report a V51 nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the frustrated spin-1/2 chain compound LiCuVO4, performed in pulsed magnetic fields and focused on high-field phases up to 56 T. For the crystal orientations H∥c and H∥b, we find a narrow field region just below the magnetic saturation where the local magnetization remains uniform and homogeneous, while its value is field dependent. This behavior is the first microscopic signature of the spin-nematic state, breaking spin-rotation symmetry without generating any transverse dipolar order, and is consistent with theoretical predictions for the LiCuVO4 compound.

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    • Received 10 November 2016

    DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.247201

    © 2017 American Physical Society

    Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

    1. Research Areas
    Frustrated magnetismMagnetic phase transitionsNematic order
    1. Physical Systems
    1-dimensional spin chains
    1. Techniques
    Nuclear magnetic resonance
    Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

    Viewpoint

    Key Image

    Closing in on a Magnetic Analog of Liquid Crystals

    Published 12 June 2017

    Nuclear magnetic resonance measurements strengthen the case that spins in a copper oxide exhibit nematic order similar to that found in liquid crystals.

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    Authors & Affiliations

    A. Orlova1,*, E. L. Green2,†, J. M. Law2,‡, D. I. Gorbunov2, G. Chanda2, S. Krämer1, M. Horvatić1, R. K. Kremer3, J. Wosnitza2,4, and G. L. J. A. Rikken1

    • 1Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses, LNCMI-CNRS, UGA, UPS, INSA, EMFL, 31400 Toulouse and 38042 Grenoble, France
    • 2Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, 01314 Dresden, Germany
    • 3Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstraße 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
    • 4Institut für Festkörperphysik, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden, Germany

    • *annayuorlova@gmail.com
    • †e.green@hzdr.de
    • ‡Present address: CryoVac GmbH & Co KG, 53842 Troisdorf, Germany.

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    Vol. 118, Iss. 24 — 16 June 2017

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    • Figure 1
      Figure 1

      (a) Simultaneous NMR time record of the Cu63-metal FID and V51 spin echo of LiCuVO4 for H∥c at μ0H=42.91  T and a resonance frequency of 487.2 MHz. The two Cu63 FID signals are preceded by the strong transients from radio-frequency pulses saturating the receiver. (b) Fourier transforms of the NMR time record, separately applied to zone 1 and zone 2 to provide the NMR spectra of Cu63 and V51, used for field reference and the determination of the local field in LiCuVO4, respectively.

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    • Figure 2
      Figure 2

      Field dependence of the V51 NMR spectra in LiCuVO4 for H∥c (left) and H∥b (right) at T=1.3  K, normalized to their peak intensity. The black triangles mark the peak of each NMR line, demonstrating their shift towards the saturated state. Three different regions are marked: saturated (blue), spin-density wave (gray), and spin nematic (light red). The dash-dotted red lines denote the region where Hint becomes field dependent, but maintains the same distribution as in the saturated state.

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    • Figure 3
      Figure 3

      Field dependence of the normalized spin polarization Sz/Szsat (solid and open black triangles) and distribution widths of the internal magnetic field ΔHint (solid and open blue circles) obtained from the V51 NMR spectra in LiCuVO4 shown in Fig. 2, for H∥c (top) and H∥b (bottom). Three characteristic regions are marked by background colors: the SDW (gray), spin-nematic (red), and saturated (blue) phase.

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