Spin dynamics and two-dimensional correlations in the fcc antiferromagnetic Sr2YRuO6

The face-centered-cubic (fcc) lattice of Ru5+ spins in the double perovskite Sr2YRuO6 shows a delicate, three-dimensional antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state composed of stacked square AFM layers. Inelastic neutron scattering data taken on this state reveal a gapped low-energy excitation band emerging from [001] with spin excitations extending to 8meV. These magnetic excitations are modeled by a simple J(1)-J(2) interaction scheme allowing quantitative comparisons with similar materials. At higher temperatures, the low-energy excitation spectrum is dominated by a quasielastic component associated with size fluctuations of two-dimensional AFM clusters that exhibit asymmetric correlations even at low temperatures. Thus, the fcc lattice in general and the double-perovskite structure in particular emerge as hosts of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional dynamics resulting from frustration.