Structure and Magnetic Properties of the Maple-Leaf-Lattice Antiferromagnet Ho3ScO6

Abstract

Ho₃ScO₆ harbours a frustrated maple-leaf lattice. It crystallizes in the Mg₃TeO₆-type structure, and has a centrosymmetric trigonal space group (R-3). This system contains stacked layers of magnetic rings along the c axis consisting of six magnetic Ho³⁺ ions forming Ho hexagons, which are connected into a 2-dimensional network by equilateral and isosceles triangles to form a rare example of a maple-leaf lattice. Long-range magnetic order is reached below T_N = 4.1 K with a 120° spin arrangement on the equilateral triangles resulting in a positive-vector-chirality ground-state configuration.

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