Exploring the magnetic ground state of monoclinic Zn - doped Na₂Co₂TeO₆ cobaltite using muon spin relaxation studies

In frustrated magnets, the Kitaev quantum spin liquid (KQSL) state is particularly intriguing due to hosting of Majorana fermion excitations, which are anticipated to play a crucial role in topological quantum computation, superconductivity, and other emerging phenomena. In this proposal, we aim to explore the magnetic spin dynamics of honeycomb-layered cobaltite, i.e., monoclinic phase of Na₂Co₂TeO₆, which is a promising candidate to host the KQSL state. Our bulk magnetization studies suggest the potential realization of the KQSL state in this material, as the observed antiferromagnetic order becomes progressively suppressed under an applied magnetic field. Furthermore, we find that diluting the Co sublattice with Zn systematically alters the magnetic ground state, changing from long-range antiferromagnetic order to a quantum paramagnetic-like state. To investigate these behaviours at microscopic level, we propose muon spin relaxation (μSR) studies on the monoclinic Na₂Co₂TeO₆ and these studies are expected to provide insights into the static and dynamic magnetic moments, which are challenging to capture through bulk magnetization or specific heat studies alone. This research will also help establish connections between the magnetic ground states and the KQSL features in the broader family of layered cobaltite materials.