Frustration-induced diffusive scattering anomaly and dimension change in FeGe2

Magnetic frustration, arising from the competition of exchange interactions, has received great attention because of its relevance to exotic quantum phenomena in materials. In the current work, we report an unusual checkerboard-shaped scattering anomaly in FeGe2, far from the known incommensurate magnetic satellite peaks, by inelastic neutron scattering. More surprisingly, such phenomenon appears as spin dynamics at low temperature, but it becomes prominent above Neel transition as elastic scattering. A model Hamiltonian that includes an intraplane next-nearest neighbor was proposed and such anomaly is attributed to the near-perfect magnetic frustration and the emergence of unexpected two-dimensional magnetic order in the quasi-one-dimensional FeGe2.

Automated summary

In this study, an unconventional scattering anomaly was reported in FeGe2, demonstrating near-perfect magnetic frustration and the emergence of unexpected two-dimensional magnetic order in the quasi-one-dimensional structure. This finding is of great significance for understanding exotic quantum phenomena in materials.