Experimental validation of Villain’s conjecture about magnetic ordering in quasi-1D helimagnets

Low-temperature magnetic susceptibility,zero-field muon spin resonance and specific heat measurements have been performed in the quasi-one-dimensional(1D) molecular helimagnetic compound Gd(hfac)3NITEt. The specific heat presents two anomalies at T0= 2:19 K and TN= 1.88 K, while susceptibility and z.ro-field muon spin resonance show anomalies only at TN = 1.88 K. The results suggest an experimental validation of Villain’s conjecture of a two-step magnetic ordering in quasi-1D XY helimagnets: the paramagnetic phase and the helical spin solid phases are separated by a chiral spin liquid,where translational invariance is broken without violation of rotational invariance.