Spin frustration in 2D kagome lattices: A problem for inorganic synthetic chemistry

A kagome antiferromagnet presents an ideal construct for studying the unusual physics that result from the placement of magnetically frustrated spins on a low-dimensional lattice. Jarosites are the prototype for a spin-frustrated magnetic structure, because these materials are composed exclusively of kagome layers. Notwithstanding, jarosite-type materials have escaped precise magnetic characterization over the past three decades, because they are notoriously difficult to prepare in pure and single-crystal forms. These hurdles have been overcome with the development of redox-based hydrothermal methods. Armed with pure and crystalline materials, several perplexing issues surrounding the magnetic properties of the jarosites have been resolved, yielding a detailed and comprehensive picture of the ground-state physics of this kagome lattice.