Ground State of the Maple Leaf Lattice Ho3ScO6

The maple leaf lattice (MLL) is a two-dimensional frustrated lattice derived from the triangular lattice. This lattice features three inequivalent nearest-neighbor interactions (Jd, Jt, Jh) and has been less studied due to the scarcity of suitable compounds. Ho3ScO6, a newly synthesized MLL compound, exhibits long-range magnetic order below TN = 4.1 K with a frustration parameter f ~ 1.7 3.4. Its magnetic structure is coplanar and non-collinear, characterized by uniform vector chirality (UVC) on all equilateral triangles.
Theoretical studies suggest that the UVC ground state (GS) requires a second-neighbor interaction (JX) or interlayer couplings (JMLL). Additionally, the crystal electric field (CEF) is expected to play a pivotal role in establishing strong magnetic anisotropy, given the low-symmetry environment of the Ho ions (C1 point-group symmetry). The CEF splits the J=8 multiplet of Ho into 17 singlets, potentially influencing the magnetic anisotropy and the observed UVC ground state.
This proposal aims to investigate the CEF excitations of Ho3ScO6 using inelastic neutron scattering on the MARI spectrometer. By determining the ground state wavefunction and CEF levels, we seek to elucidate the anisotropic magnetic interactions and their role in stabilizing the UVC magnetic structure. Measurements will be conducted at various temperatures to probe both the GS and excited states, providing a comprehensive understanding of the magnetic properties of this compound.