Anisotropic Exchange in {bf LiCu₂O₂}

We investigate the magnetic properties of the multiferroic quantum-spin system LiCu$_2$O$_2$ by electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements at $X$- and $Q$-band frequencies in a wide temperature range $(T_{\rm N1} \leq T \leq 300$\,K). The observed anisotropies of the $g$ tensor and the ESR linewidth in untwinned single crystals result from the crystal-electric field and from local exchange geometries acting on the magnetic Cu$^{2+}$ ions in the zigzag-ladder like structure of LiCu$_2$O$_2$. Supported by a microscopic analysis of the exchange paths involved, we show that both the symmetric anisotropic exchange interaction and the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction provide the dominant spin-spin relaxation channels in this material.