Phonon renormalization effects accompanying the 6 K anomaly in the quantum spin liquid candidate κ-(BEDT-TTF)2 Cu2(CN)3

Masato Matsuura, Takahiko Sasaki, Makoto Naka, Jens Müller, Oliver Stockert, Andrea Piovano, Naoki Yoneyama, Michael Lang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The low-temperature state of the quantum spin liquid candidate κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3 emerges via an anomaly at T∗∼6 K. Although signatures of this anomaly have been revealed in various quantities, its origin has remained unclear. Here we report inelastic neutron scattering measurements on single crystals of κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu2(CN)3, aiming at studying phonon renormalization effects at T∗. A drastic change was observed in the phonon damping across T∗ for a breathing mode of BEDT-TTF dimers at E=4.7 meV. The abrupt change in the phonon damping is attributed to a phase transition into a valence bond solid state based on an effective model describing the spin-charge coupling in this dimer-Mott system.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL042047
JournalPhysical Review Research
Volume4
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022 Oct

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy(all)

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