O17 NMR study of the intrinsic magnetic susceptibility and spin dynamics of the quantum kagome antiferromagnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2

We report, through O17 NMR, an unambiguous local determination of the intrinsic kagome lattice spin susceptibility as well as that created around nonmagnetic defects arising from natural Zn/Cu exchange in the S=1/2 (Cu2+) herbertsmithite ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2 compound. The issue of a singlet†"triplet gap is addressed. The magnetic response around a defect is found to markedly differ from that observed in nonfrustrated antiferromagnets. Finally, we discuss our relaxation measurements in the light of Cu and Cl NMR data and suggest a flat q dependence of the excitations.