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Microscopic Evidence for a Zhang-Rice Triplet State in the van der Waals Antiferromagnet,
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. , 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 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on -enriched single crystals, we provide microscopic evidence for this charge-transfer state. The and 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 orbitals and a hole in Ni orbitals. Furthermore, the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate exhibits a power-law divergence as it approaches the Néel temperature , 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 .