Field-temperature induced dimensionality crossover in Ca3Co2O6 spin system

Quasi-one dimensional spin chain compound, Ca₃Co₂O₆, undergoes field and temperature induced dimensionality crossover at about 25 K from one-dimension to three-dimensionally correlated state. It is shown that interplay of intrachain and interchain couplings with thermal energy in this infinite spin chain system is responsible for this phenomenon. It is established from the measurement of temperature dependent magnetic susceptibility and field dependence of magnetization along different crystallographic axes of the single crystal. Further, the effect of chain truncation on dimensionality crossover has been studied to substantiate the role of these interactions in this phenomenon. Reduction of chain length causes decrease of the effective intrachain coupling strength without affecting the interaction of neighbouring chains significantly. As a result, the propensity of dimensional crossover is found to be weaker in the broken chain compared to the longer chain.