First demonstration of tuning between the Kitaev and Ising limits in a honeycomb lattice
Résumé
Recent observations of novel spin-orbit coupled states have generated interest in 4 d /5 d transition metal systems. A prime example is the J eff = 1 2 state in iridate materials and α-RuCl 3 that drives Kitaev interactions. Here, by tuning the competition between spin-orbit interaction (λ SOC ) and trigonal crystal field (Δ T ), we restructure the spin-orbital wave functions into a previously unobserved μ = 1 2 state that drives Ising interactions. This is done via a topochemical reaction that converts Li 2 RhO 3 to Ag 3 LiRh 2 O 6 . Using perturbation theory, we present an explicit expression for the μ = 1 2 state in the limit Δ T ≫ λ SOC realized in Ag 3 LiRh 2 O 6 , different from the conventional J eff = 1 2 state in the limit λ SOC ≫ Δ T realized in Li 2 RhO 3 . The change of ground state is followed by a marked change of magnetism from a 6 K spin-glass in Li 2 RhO 3 to a 94 K antiferromagnet in Ag 3 LiRh 2 O 6 .