Microscopic origin of the half-magnetization plateau-like state

Establish the microscopic spin configuration underlying the approximately one-half-saturation-magnetization field-induced state in DyOSe and HoOSe when the magnetic field is applied along the crystallographic c-axis.

Background

DyOSe and HoOSe exhibit pronounced one-half magnetization plateau-like features under magnetic fields applied along the crystallographic c-axis. The paper attributes these features tentatively to competing magnetic interactions within the AB-stacked bilayer triangular lattices, together with strong Ising-type single-ion anisotropy, but does not determine the underlying spin arrangement.

Identifying the microscopic configuration is necessary to explain how intrabilayer coupling and geometric frustration stabilize the intermediate field-induced state and to distinguish it from the one-third plateau commonly associated with the up-up-down phase in triangular-lattice antiferromagnets.

References

The microscopic spin configuration underlying this state, however, remains to be established.

— Rare-earth Bilayer Triangular Lattice as a Platform for Tunable Ground States and Field-induced Magnetic Phases  (2609.30857 - Wang et al., 25 Sep 2026) in Section 2.3, “Magnetic Susceptibility and Field-Dependent Magnetization”