Ferrimagnetic 120∘ magnetic structure in Cu2OSO4

Abstract

We report magnetic properties of a 3d9 (Cu2+) magnetic insulator Cu2OSO4 measured on both powder and single crystal. The magnetic atoms of this compound form layers whose geometry can be described either as a system of chains coupled through dimers or as a kagome lattice where every third spin is replaced by a dimer. Specific heat and DC susceptibility show a magnetic transition at 20 K, which is also confirmed by neutron scattering. Magnetic entropy extracted from the specific heat data is consistent with an S=1/2 degree of freedom per Cu2+, and so is the effective moment extracted from DC susceptibility. The ground state has been identified by means of neutron diffraction on both powder and single crystal and corresponds to an ∼120∘ spin structure in which ferromagnetic intradimer alignment results in a net ferrimagnetic moment. No evidence is found for a change in lattice symmetry down to 2 K. Our results suggest that Cu2OSO4 represents a type of model lattice with frustrated interactions where interplay between magnetic order, thermal and quantum fluctuations can be explored.