First-Order Antiferromagnetic Transition and Novel Gapless Excitation in a 4f Zigzag Chain Compound YbCuS2

Abstract

We report on the 63/65 Cu-nuclear magnetic resonance and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) studies of trivalent Yb zigzag chain compound YbCuS2. Sharp NQR signals were observed in the paramagnetic (PM) state. Below TO ∼ 0.95 K, the multi peaks induced by the internal magnetic fields arising from the antferromagnetic (AFM) ordered moments appear and coexist with the PM signal down to 0.85 K, evidencing the first-order AFM phase transition at TO. In addition, the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 abruptly decreases below TO and shows the T -linear behavior below 0.5 K. The significant large 1/T1T value (1/T1T = 14 s −1 K −1 ) strongly suggests the presence of the novel gapless spin excitation in low temperature region.