Magnetic ground state and transition of a quantum multiferroic LiCu2O2

Based on resonant soft x-ray magnetic scattering, we report that LiCu2O2 exhibits a large interchain coupling which suppresses quantum fluctuations along spin chains, and a quasi-2D short-range magnetic order prevails at temperatures above the magnetic transition. These observations unravel the fact that the ground state of LiCu2O2 possesses long-range 2D-like incommensurate magnetic order rather than being a gapped spin liquid as expected from the nature of quantum spin-1/2 chains. In addition, the spin coupling along the c axis is found to be essential for inducing electric polarization.