Revealing a Triangular Lattice Ising Antiferromagnet in a Single-Crystal CeCd$_3$As$_3$

Abstract

We report the single-crystal growth and the fundamental magnetic and thermodynamic properties of a rare-earth triangular lattice antiferromagnet CeCd$_3$As$_3$. In this rare-earth antiferromagnet, the Ce local moments form a perfect triangular lattice. Due to the spin-orbital-entangled nature of the Ce local moments, the compound exhibits extremely anisotropic antiferromagnetic couplings along the c direction and in the ab plane respectively. We show that CeCd$_3$As$_3$ represents a {\it rare} experimental realization of an antiferromagnetic Ising model on a two dimensional triangular lattice and thus provides a prototype example for geometrical frustration. We further discuss the quantum effect of the perturbative interactions on the top of the predominant Ising interaction.