Spring 2024 Grad Talk: Single crystal synthesis and physical properties of a Shastry-Sutherland compound, BaCe2ZnS5

Abstract: In this talk, I present our group's recent work on a high-purity, single-crystalline BaCe₂ZnS₅ where Ce atoms form a two-dimensional Shastry-Sutherland (SS) lattice. The SS lattice is a classical geometrically frustrated lattice type featuring a competition between nearest neighbor and next nearest neighbor interactions. Crystal synthesis procedure and detailed physical property characterizations via x-ray diffraction, magnetization, heat capacity, and neutron diffraction measurements will be presented. BaCe₂ZnS₅ does not exhibit long range magnetic ordering down to 70 mK. Comparison to the magnetic properties of other rare earth members in this family of compounds such as BaNd₂ZnS₅ will also be discussed.