Specific heat of an S=1/2 Heisenberg ladder compound Cu$_2$(C$_5$H$_{12}$N$_2$)$_2$Cl$_4$ under magnetic fields

Abstract

Specific heat measurements down to 0.5 K have been performed on a single crystal sample of a spin-ladder like compound Cu$_{2}$(C$_{5}$H$_{12}$N$_{2}$)$_{2}$Cl$_{4}$ under magnetic fields up to 12 T. The temperature dependence of the observed data in a magnetic field below 6 T is well reproduced by numerical results calculated for the S=1/2 two-leg ladder with $J_{\rm{rung}}$/$J_{\rm{leg}}$=5. In the gapless region above 7 T ($H_{\rm{c1}}$), the agreement between experiment and calculation is good above about 2 K and a sharp and a round peak were observed below 2 K in a magnetic field around 10 T, but the numerical data show only a round peak, the magnitude of which is smaller than that of the observed one. The origin of the sharp peak and the difference between the experimental and numerical round peak are discussed.