Thermodynamic Properties of the Kagomé Lattice in Volborthite

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Thermodynamic investigations on volborthite [Cu3V2O7(OH)2$\cdot$2H2O], which possesses a two-dimensional kagomé structure of $S$-1/2 spins, are presented. The low-temperature heat capacities of volborthite and its Zn analogue compound were measured by the relaxation calorimetry technique between 0.8 and 45 K. The magnetic heat capacity of volborthite is characterized by two contributions of $T$-linear and $T^{2}$ dependences, the former of which is large above 1 K, giving evidence of dense gapless excitations. We find a distinct kink in $C_{p}T^{-1}$ at $T^{*} = 1$ K, which demonstrates a thermodynamic phase transition of short-range nature to a novel ground state as reported in previous 51V-NMR experiments. The $T$-linear term becomes smaller but remains finite even in the low-temperature state below $T^{*}$, while it is gradually reduced with increasing magnetic field and vanishes at 5 T, which is close to the critical field for the field-induced transition observed in the first magnetization step.
2010-08-15