Magnetic phase diagram and possible Kitaev-like behavior of the honeycomb-lattice antimonate Na3Co2SbO6

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 α-RuCl3 and iridates, but also in conventional 3d transition metal compounds. Using dc and ac magnetometry, thermodynamic, and Na23 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements we studied such a candidate material Na3Co2SbO6. A full phase diagram of Na3Co2SbO6 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. © 2023 American Physical Society.Russian Academy of Sciences, РАН; Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 22-42-08002, RSF 20-62-46047The authors are grateful to Dr. P. Maksimov, Dr. S. Winter, Dr. H.-J. Grafe, Prof. B. Büchner, and Dr. V. Kataev for useful discussions. A.V. acknowledges support of the specific heat study by the Megagrant program of the Russian Government through Project No. 075-15-2021-604. The dynamic susceptibility study by T.V. were supported by Russian Scientific Foundation through Grant No. 22-42-08002. The work of D.M. was conducted in 2021. S.V.S. thanks Russian Science Foundation for support of theoretical analyses (Grant No. RSF 20-62-46047). E.V. would like to express thanks for financial support from the government assignment for FRC Kazan scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences