Inelastic neutron scattering study of LiV2O5

Neutron inelastic scattering experiments were carried out on a mixed valent (V4+/V5+) vanadate LiV2O5 Observed spin wave excitations suggest that the antiferromagnetic (AF) periodicity along the b-axis (chain) direction is ch aracterized by the doubling of the chemical unit cell. A strong dispersion along the b*-axis, an almost I(stacking)-independent excitations and the lo w energy excitations down to about 1 meV at the AF zone center were also cl early observed. These results suggest that LiV2O5 can be regarded as indepe ndent S = 1/2 AF linear chains with a zone boundary energy of 42 +/- 3 meV estimated from the quantum renormalized spin wave dispersion relation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.