Spin fluctuations in a magnetically frustrated metal LiV2O4

Inelastic neutron scattering is used to characterize spin Fluctuations in the d-electron heavy fermion spinel LiV2O4. The spin-relaxation rate, Gamma (Q), for Q = 0.6 Angstrom (-1) is 1.4(3) meV at low temperatures and increases linearly with temperature at a rate of 0.46(8)k(8). There is antiferromagnetic short-range order at low temperatures with a characteristic wave vector Q(c) = 0.64(2) Angstrom (-1) and a correlation length of 6(1) Angstrom. While warming shifts intensity towards lower Q, the staggered susceptibility peaks at a finite wave vector for T < 80 K. The data are compared with conventional heavy fermion systems, geometrically frustrated insulating magnets, and recent theories for LiV2O4.