Magnetic phase diagram and possible Kitaev-like behavior of the honeycomb-lattice antimonate <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>Na</mml:mi><mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>Co</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>SbO</mml:mi><mml:mn>6</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>
E. Vavilova, Tatyana M. Vasilchikova, A. N. Vasiliev, Daria Mikhailova, Vladimir B. Nalbandyan, E.A. Zvereva, S. V. Streltsov
Abstract
Recent theoretical studies have suggested that Kitaev physics and such effects as formation of a mysterious spin-liquid state can be expected not only in $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{\mathrm{RuCl}}_{3}$ and iridates, but also in conventional $3d$ transition metal compounds. Using dc and ac magnetometry, thermodynamic, and $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements we studied such a candidate material ${\mathrm{Na}}_{3}{\mathrm{Co}}_{2}{\mathrm{SbO}}_{6}$. A full phase diagram of ${\mathrm{Na}}_{3}{\mathrm{Co}}_{2}{\mathrm{SbO}}_{6}$ in a wide range of magnetic fields and temperatures is presented. The results demonstrate transformation of the antiferromagnetic structure under the external magnetic field, gradual development of the saturation phase, as well as evidence of gapped behavior in certain parts of the phase diagram.