NMR lineshape and phase soliton effects in incommensurate Rb2ZnCl4

In incommensurate systems the NMR, NQR or EPR resonance frequency varies in space in a way which reflects the spatial variation of the incommensurate modulation wave. An evaluation of the magnetic resonance lineshape for the case of a multi-soliton lattice is presented for different ratios between the soliton width and the inter-soliton spacing as well as for different relations between the resonance frequency and the incommensurate order parameter. The results are compared with the experimental data in Rb 2 ZnCl 4 . It is found that in this system the soliton width is large compared with the inter-soliton spacing over most of the incommensurate phase. The temperature variation of the phase soliton density has been determined. The non-classical value of the critical exponent beta =0.35+or-0.03 for the amplitude of the order parameter demonstrates that the whole incommensurate phase is critical in this one-dimensionally modulated system.