Synthesis, magnetization, and heat capacity of triangular lattice materials NaErSe 2 and KErSe 2
In this paper we report the synthesis, magnetization, and heat capacity of the frustrated magnets A ErSe 2 ( A = Na , K ) which contain perfect triangular lattices of Er 3 + . The magnetization data suggests no long-range magnetic order exists in A ErSe 2 ( A = Na , K ), which is consistent with the heat capacity measurements. Large anisotropy is observed between the magnetization within the a b plane and along the c axis of both compounds. When the magnetic field is applied along the a b plane, anomalies are observed at 1.8 μ B in NaErSe 2 at 0.2 T and 2.1 μ B in KErSe 2 at 0.18 T. Unlike NaErSe 2 , a plateaulike field-induced metamagnetic transition is observed for H ∥ c below 1 K in KErSe 2 . Two broad peaks are observed in the heat capacity below 10 K indicating possible crystal electric field (CEF) effects and magnetic entropy released under different magnetic fields. All results indicate that A ErSe 2 are strongly anisotropic, frustrated magnets with field-induced transition at low temperature. The lack of signatures for long-range magnetic order implies that these materials are candidates for hosting a quantum spin liquid ground state.