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Microscopic Evidence for a Zhang-Rice Triplet State in the van der Waals Antiferromagnet, NiPS3

Beom Hyun Kim1,2,*, Youjin Lee1,2,*, Junik Hwang3, Junghyun Kim1,2, Je-Geun Park1,2,4,†, and Seung-Ho Baek3,‡

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: jgpark10@snu.ac.kr
  • ‡Contact author: sbaek.fu@gmail.com

Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 036505 – Published 16 July, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/hhtt-ffgg

Abstract

Quantum-entangled states underpin many emergent phenomena in quantum materials, yet their direct experimental identification remains a challenge. NiPS3, a van der Waals antiferromagnet exhibiting a resolution-limited magnetic exciton in its ordered phase, has been proposed to host a many-body entangled Zhang-Rice triplet state. Here, using S33 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on S33-enriched NiPS3 single crystals, we provide microscopic evidence for this charge-transfer state. The S33 and P31 Knight shifts as a function of temperature reveal a unified spin-triplet configuration arising from strong hybridization between a self-doped hole in the S 3p orbitals and a hole in Ni 3d orbitals. Furthermore, the S33 nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate exhibits a power-law divergence as it approaches the Néel temperature TN=155  K, indicating critical slowing down of collective charge fluctuations consistent with spin-nematic correlations. These results reveal a spin-charge-intertwined ground state and establish the microscopic foundation for the exceptional coherence of the magnetic exciton in NiPS3.

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