Probing Bond-Dependent Anisotropic Magnetism in the Triangular Lattice Compound Sr3CoNb2O9

Recent theoretical studies have identified Co2+-based triangular lattice antiferromagnets (TLAFs) as potential hosts for dominant Kitaev-like interactions. For instance, in CoI2, it has been shown that Kitaev exchange can destabilize the conventional 120 degree Heisenberg ground state, giving rise to complex spin textures such as spirals. This proposal aims to perform detailed INS measurements on a carefully selected Co-based TLAF candidate Sr3CoNb2O9, with the goal of extracting the strength and symmetry of the underlying anisotropic exchange interactions and establishing its proximity to the Kitaev quantum spin liquid regime.