Competing spin fluctuations and trace of vortex dynamics in the two-dimensional triangular-lattice antiferromagnet AgCrS2

The spin dynamics of the two-dimensional triangular-lattice antiferromagnet AgCrS2 is investigated by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. The g-factor is found to show an unusual non-monotonously temperature dependent behavior, which, along with the super-Curie behavior observed in the ESR intensity data, provides clear evidence for the competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic fluctuations at temperatures well above TN. On approaching the Néel temperature TN from above, the linewidth is found to diverge. Such a divergent behavior could be well described by the Kawamura-Miyashita model due to Z2 type magnetic vortex-antivortex pairing, which is consistent with the expectation for a 2D Heisenberg magnetic system.