Quantum magnetism in the frustrated square lattice oxyhalides <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>YbBi</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>IO</mml:mi><mml:mn>4</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math> and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msub><mml:mi>YbBi</mml:mi><mml:mn>2</mml:mn></mml:msub><mml:msub><mml:mi>ClO</mml:mi><mml:mn>4</mml:mn></mml:msub></mml:mrow></mml:math>

Abstract

This work establishes Yb-containing oxyhalides as a new family of materials for studying quantum magnetism on a frustrated square lattice. The titular compounds appear to possess long-range magnetic order below \ensuremath{\approx}0.21 K (YbBi${}_{2}$lO${}_{4}$), but analysis of their thermodynamic properties via a ${J}_{1}$-${J}_{2}$ square lattice model suggests large magnetic frustration. This places the materials near the transition to a quantum spin liquid. Thus, the impact of quantum fluctuations is expected to be strong, motivating detailed studies of these and related phases.

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