- Physical Review Journals
All JournalsPhysics Magazine

Physical Review B

Reuse & Permissions

It is not necessary to obtain permission to reuse this article or its components as it is available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI are maintained. Please note that some figures may have been included with permission from other third parties. It is your responsibility to obtain the proper permission from the rights holder directly for these figures.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Open Access

Na23-NMR study on the one-dimensional superoxide spin-chain compound NaO2

Takayuki Goto*

Mizuki Miyajima and Takashi Kambe

  • Physics Division, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Chiyodaku 102-8554, Japan

  • *Contact author: gotoo-t@sophia.ac.jp
PDF

Phys. Rev. B 114, 274405 – Published 2 November, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8bvh-ld52

Abstract

We report a Na23-NMR study of the alkali superoxide NaO2, a candidate one-dimensional quantum spin system. The Knight shift, linewidth, and spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T1 were investigated down to 0.3 K in magnetic fields up to 16 T. Below TS3=34K, 1/T1 exhibits thermally activated behavior, indicating the opening of a spin gap of Δ(10.1T)≃38.0K and Δ(3.55T)≃46K. The hyperfine coupling constant shows a sudden reduction across the structural transition at TS2≃195K, reflecting the development of pronounced one-dimensionality in the electron structure. These results provide microscopic evidence that NaO2 is a rare π-orbital-based one-dimensional spin chain that exhibits a spin-gapped ground state, consistent with a spin-Peierls-like instability.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (43)

  1. Y. Zhou, K. Kanoda, and T.-K. Ng, Quantum spin liquid states, Rev. Mod. Phys. 89, 025003 (2017).
  2. A. Vasiliev, O. Volkova, E. Zvereva, and M. Markina, Milestones of low-D quantum magnetism, npj Quantum Mater. 3, 18 (2018).
  3. T. Giamarchi, Quantum Physics in One Dimension (Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK, 2003).
  4. M. Horvatić and C. Berthier, NMR studies of low-dimensional quantum antiferromagnets, in High Magnetic Fields: Applications in Condensed Matter Physics and Spectroscopy, edited by C. Berthier, L. P. Lévy, and G. Martinez (Springer, Berlin, 2001), pp. 191–210.
  5. M. Miyajima, F. Astuti, T. Fukuda, M. Kodani, S. Iida, S. Asai, A. Matsuo, T. Masuda, K. Kindo, T. Hasegawa, T. C. Kobayashi, T. Nakano, I. Watanabe, and T. Kambe, Spin-gap formation due to spin-Peierls instability in π-orbital-ordered NaO2, Phys. Rev. B 104, L140402 (2021).
  6. H. G. Smith, R. M. Nicklow, L. J. Raubenheimer, and M. K. Wilkinson, Antiferromagnetism in potassium superoxide KO2, J. Appl. Phys. 37, 1047 (1966).
  7. M. A. Bösch, M. E. Lines, and M. Labhart, Magnetoelastic interactions in ionic π-electron systems: Magnetogyration, Phys. Rev. Lett. 45, 140 (1980).
  8. F. Astuti, M. Miyajima, T. Fukuda, M. Kodani, T. Nakano, T. Kambe, and I. Watanabe, Anionogenic magnetism combined with lattice symmetry in alkali-metal superoxide RbO2, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 88, 043701 (2019).
  9. M. Klanjšek, D. Arčon, A. Sans, P. Adler, M. Jansen, and C. Felser, Phonon-modulated magnetic interactions and spin Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid in the p-orbital antiferromagnet CsO2, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 057205 (2015).
  10. R. A. Ewings, M. Reehuis, F. Orlandi, P. Manuel, D. D. Khalyavin, A. S. Gibbs, A. D. Fortes, A. Hoser, A. J. Princep, and M. Jansen, Crystal and magnetic structure of cesium superoxide, Phys. Rev. B 108, 174412 (2023).
  11. M. Miyajima, F. Astuti, T. Kakuto, A. Matsuo, D. P. Sari, R. Asih, K. Okunishi, T. Nakano, Y. Nozue, K. Kindo, I. Watanabe, and T. Kambe, Magnetism and high-magnetic field magnetization in alkali superoxide CsO2, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 87, 063704 (2018).
  12. K. Shibata, M. Naka, H. O. Jeschke, and J. Otsuki, Spin-orbital ordering in alkali superoxides, Phys. Rev. B 109, 235115 (2024).
  13. M. Hase, I. Terasaki, and K. Uchinokura, Observation of the spin-Peierls transition in linear Cu2+ (spin-1/2) chains in an inorganic compound CuGeO3, Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 3651 (1993).
  14. K. Uchinokura, Spin-Peierls transition in CuGeO3 and impurity-induced ordered phases in low-dimensional spin-gap systems, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 14, R195 (2002).
  15. M. Itoh, S. Hirashima, and K. Motoya, Cu63,65 NMR and NQR study of the Cu2+ electronic state and the spin dynamics in the spin-Peierls compound CuGeO3, Phys. Rev. B 52, 3410 (1995).
  16. M. Watanabe, N. Kurita, H. Tanaka, W. Ueno, K. Matsui, T. Goto, and M. Hagihala, Contrasting magnetic structures in SrLaCuSbO6 and SrLaCuNbO6: Spin-12 quasi-square-lattice J1−J2 Heisenberg antiferromagnets, Phys. Rev. B 105, 054414 (2022).
  17. T. Goto, M. Fujihala, and S. Mitsuda, Correction to: 27Al−NMR study on a square-kagome lattice antiferromagnet, Interactions 245, 52 (2024).
  18. K. Matsui, A. Yagi, Y. Hoshino, S. Atarashi, M. Hase, T. Sasaki, and T. Goto, Rb-NMR study of the quasi-one-dimensional competing spin-chain compound Rb2Cu2MO3o12, Phys. Rev. B 96, 220402(R) (2017).
  19. Y. Tanaka, M. Yoshida, M. Takigawa, Y. Okamoto, and Z. Hiroi, Novel phase transitions in the breathing pyrochlore lattice: Li7-NMR on LiInCr4O8 and LiGaCr4O8, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 227204 (2014).
  20. K. Morioka, T. Goto, M. Watanabe, Y. Kojima, N. Kurita, H. Tanaka, S. Iguchi, and T. Sasaki, NMR study on equilateral triangular lattice antiferromagnet Ba2La2CoTe2O12, J. Low Temp. Phys. 222, 47 (2026).
  21. A. Narath, Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in hexagonal transition metals: Titanium, Phys. Rev. 162, 320 (1967).
  22. K. Hashi, A. Oyamada, S. Maegawa, T. Goto, D. Li, and T. Suzuki, NMR study of a heavy fermion compound YbAs, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 67, 4260 (1998).
  23. V. Epp, Ö. Gün, H.-J. Deiseroth, and M. Wilkening, Long-range Li+ dynamics in the lithium argyrodite Li7PSe6 as probed by rotating-frame spin-lattice relaxation NMR, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 15, 7123 (2013).
  24. M. Horvatić, C. Berthier, Y. Fagot-Revurat, N. Piegay, M. Hanson, G. Dhalenne, and A. Revcolevschi, NMR study of the high magnetic field incommensurate phase of the CuGeO3 spin-Peierls system, Physica B 246-247, 22 (1998).
  25. N. Ishimura and H. Shiba, Effect of the magnetic field on the des Cloizeaux-Pearson spin-wave spectrum, Prog. Theor. Phys. 57, 1862 (1977).
  26. M. Sato, T. Momoi, and A. Furusaki, NMR relaxation rate and dynamical structure factors in nematic and multipolar liquids of frustrated spin chains under magnetic fields, Phys. Rev. B 79, 060406(R) (2009).
  27. N. Büttgen, K. Nawa, T. Fujita, M. Hagiwara, P. Kuhns, A. Prokofiev, A. P. Reyes, L. E. Svistov, K. Yoshimura, and M. Takigawa, Search for a spin-nematic phase in the quasi-one-dimensional frustrated magnet LiCuVO4, Phys. Rev. B 90, 134401 (2014).
  28. B. Kurniawan, H. Tanaka, K. Takatsu, W. Shiramura, T. Fukuda, H. Nojiri, and M. Motokawa, ESR study of the opening and closing of the field-induced gap in NH4CuCl3, Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 1281 (1999).
  29. H. Nojiri, H. Ohta, S. Okubo, O. Fujita, J. Akimitsu, and M. Motokawa, Submillimeter wave ESR study of spin gap excitations in CuGeO3, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 68, 3417 (1999).
  30. O. Fujita, J. Akimitsu, M. Nishi, and K. Kakurai, Evidence for a singlet-triplet transition in spin-Peierls system CuGeO3, Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 1677 (1995).
  31. T. Suzuki and S.-I. Suga, NMR relaxation of quantum spin chains in magnetic fields, Phys. Rev. B 74, 172410 (2006).
  32. S. Kobori, K. Matsui, H. Kuwahara, T. Goto, X. Zhang, Y. Nakano, S. Nishihara, K. Inoue, and T. Sasaki, Hyperfine Interact. 237, 116 (2016).
  33. M. Jeong, H. Mayaffre, C. Berthier, D. Schmidiger, A. Zheludev, and M. Horvatić, Attractive Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid in a quantum spin ladder, Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 106404 (2013).
  34. M. Klanjšek, H. Mayaffre, C. Berthier, M. Horvatić, B. Chiari, O. Piovesana, P. Bouillot, C. Kollath, E. Orignac, R. Citro, and T. Giamarchi, Controlling Luttinger liquid physics in spin ladders under a magnetic field, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 137207 (2008).
  35. T. Goto, T. Ishikawa, Y. Shimaoka, and Y. Fujii, Quantum spin dynamics studied by the nuclear magnetic relaxation of protons in the Haldane-gap system (CH3)4NNi(NO2)3, Phys. Rev. B 73, 214406 (2006).
  36. Z. Honda, H. Aruga Katori, M. Ikeda, M. Hagiwara, K. Okunishi, M. Sakai, T. Fukuda, and N. Kamata, Magnetic field-induced phase transitions in the S=1/2 two-leg spin-ladder material Cu(DEP)Br2, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 81, 113710 (2012).
  37. C. Rüegg, K. Kiefer, B. Thielemann, D. F. McMorrow, V. Zapf, B. Normand, M. B. Zvonarev, P. Bouillot, C. Kollath, T. Giamarchi, S. Capponi, D. Poilblanc, D. Biner, and K. W. Krämer, Thermodynamics of the spin Luttinger liquid in a model ladder material, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 247202 (2008).
  38. B. Willenberg, H. Ryll, K. Kiefer, D. A. Tennant, F. Groitl, K. Rolfs, P. Manuel, D. Khalyavin, K. C. Rule, A. U. B. Wolter, and S. Süllow, Luttinger liquid behavior in the alternating spin-chain system copper nitrate, Phys. Rev. B 91, 060407(R) (2015).
  39. N. Bloembergen, E. M. Purcell, and R. V. Pound, Relaxation effects in nuclear magnetic resonance absorption, Phys. Rev. 73, 679 (1948).
  40. A. Oosawa, T. Suzuki, K. Kanada, S. Kojima, T. Goto, and H. Manaka, H1-NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate of the quantum spin system (CH3)2CHNH3Cu(ClxBr1−x)3 with x=0 and 0.35, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 78, 053702 (2009).
  41. M. Hase, Y. Sasago, I. Terasaki, K. Uchinokura, G. Kido, and T. Hamamoto, Effect of impurity on magnetic phase of spin-Peierls system; magnetization of Cu1−xZnxGeO3, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 65, 273 (1996).
  42. J. Kikuchi, S. Ishiguro, T. Matsuoka, K. Motoya, T. Yamauchi, and Y. Ueda, Cu NMR and NQR studies of the doped spin-Peierls system CuGe1−xSixO3, Prog. Theor. Phys. Suppl. 145, 345 (2002).
  43. M. Itoh, R. Tanaka, T. Yamauchi, and Y. Ueda, Cu NQR and NMR studies of impurity-doped spin-Peierls compounds Cu1−xZnxGeO3, Physica B 281-282, 671 (2000).

Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. B 114, 274405– Published 2 November, 2026
  • Received 15 October 2025
  • Revised 4 September 2026
  • Accepted 5 October 2026
Crossmark - Check for updates button
Creative Commons Logo

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation