Terahertz Magneto-optical investigation of quadrupolar spin-lattice effects in magnetically frustrated Tb2Ti2O7

Authors:
  • KAK. Amelin
    K. Amelin
  • YAY. Alexanian
    Y. Alexanian
  • UNU. Nagel
    U. Nagel
  • TRT. Room
    T. Room
  • JRJ. Robert
    J. Robert
  • JDJ. Debray
    J. Debray
  • VSV. Simonet
    V. Simonet
  • CDC. Decorse
    C. Decorse
  • ZWZ. Wang
    Z. Wang
  • RBR. Ballou
    R. Ballou
  • ECE. Constable
    E. Constable
  • SBS. de Brion
    S. de Brion
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Abstract
The significance of spin-lattice coupling in the phase diagram of the quantum spin-icepyrochlore Tb2Ti2O7 has been a topic of debate for some time. Here, we focus on the aspect of vibronic coupling, which occurs between the Tb3+ electronic levels and transverse acoustic phonons, by studying their dependence on a magnetic field applied along the cubic h111i direction. Our experimental THz spectroscopy measurements, combined with quantitative theoretical quantum calculations, show that indeed vibronic effects are observed at 3 K. An analysis incorporating quadrupolar spin-lattice effects in the Hamiltonian is therefore relevant in this compound, which is no longer optically isotropic but magnetically birefringent.
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