Emergent order in the spin-frustrated system DyxTb2-xTi2O7 studied by ac susceptibility measurements

Abstract

We report the a.c. susceptibility study of Dy_xTb_{2-x}Ti_2O_7 with x in [0, 2]. In addition to the single-ion effect at Ts (single-ion effect peak temperature) corresponding to the Dy3+ spins as that in spin ice Dy_2Ti_2O_7 and a possible spin freezing peak at Tf (Tf < 3 K), a new peak associated with Tb^{3+} is observed in $\chi_{ac}(T)$ at nonzero magnetic field with a characteristic temperature T^* (Tf < T^* < Ts). T^* increases linearly with x in a wide composition range (0 < x < 1.5 at 5 kOe). Both application of a magnetic field and increasing doping with Dy3+ enhance T^*. The T^* peak is found to be thermally driven with an unusually large energy barrier as indicated from its frequency dependence. These effects are closely related to the crystal field levels, and the underlying mechanism remains to be understood.