Emergence of the isotropic Kitaev honeycomb lattice α − RuCl₃ and its magnetic properties

We present a comprehensive investigation of the crystal and magnetic structures of the van der Waals antiferromagnet α − RuCl₃ using single crystal x-ray and neutron diffraction. The crystal structure at room temperature is a monoclinic ( C 2 / m ). However, with decreasing temperature, a remarkable first-order structural phase transition is observed, leading to the emergence of a rhombohedral ( R 3 ˉ ) structure characterized by three-fold rotational symmetry forming an isotropic honeycomb lattice. On further cooling, a zigzag-type antiferromagnetic order develops below T N = 6 ∼ 6.6 K. The critical exponent of the magnetic order parameter was determined to be β = 0.11 ( 1 ) , which is close to the two-dimensional Ising model. Additionally, the angular dependence of the magnetic critical field of the zigzag antiferromagnetic order for the polarized ferromagnetic phase reveals a six-fold rotational symmetry within the a b − plane. These findingsreflect the symmetry associated with the Ising-like bond-dependent Kitaev spin interactions and underscore the universality of the Kitaev interaction-dominated antiferromagnetic system.