Site specific X-ray anomalous dispersion of the geometrically frustrated kagomé magnet, herbertsmithite, ZnCu3(OH)6Cl 2

Danna E. Freedman, Tianheng H. Han, Andrea Prodi, Peter Müller, Qing Zhen Huang, Yu Sheng Chen, Samuel M. Webb, Young S. Lee, Tyrel M. McQueen, Daniel G. Nocera

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

170 Scopus citations

Abstract

Structural characterization, exploiting X-ray scattering differences at elemental absorption edges, is developed to quantitatively determine crystallographic site-specific metal disorder. We apply this technique to the problem of Zn-Cu chemical disorder in ZnCu3(OH)6Cl 2. This geometrically frustrated kagomé antiferromagnet is one of the best candidates for a spin-liquid ground state, but chemical disorder has been suggested as a mundane explanation for its magnetic properties. Using anomalous scattering at the Zn and Cu edges, we determine that there is no Zn occupation of the intralayer Cu sites within the kagomé layer; however there is Cu present on the Zn intersite, leading to a structural formula of (Zn0.85Cu0.15)Cu3(OH)6Cl 2. The lack of Zn mixing onto the kagomé lattice sites lends support to the idea that the electronic ground state in ZnCu3(OH) 6Cl2 and its relatives is nontrivial.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)16185-16190
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society
Volume132
Issue number45
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 17 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Colloid and Surface Chemistry

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