Quantum Dynamics in Kagome Ice Ho3Mg2Sb3O14

Zhiling Dun; XIAOJIAN BAI; Joseph Paddison; Clarina Dela Cruz; Matthew Stone; Tao Hong; Nicholas Butch; Martin Mourigal; Haidong Zhou

Quantum Dynamics in Kagome Ice Ho3Mg2Sb3O14

ORAL

Abstract

A promising route to realize entangled magnetic states combines geometrical frustration with quantum-tunneling effects. Spin-ice materials are canonical examples of frustration, and Ising spins in a transverse magnetic field are the simplest many-body model of quantum tunneling. In this talk, I shall show that the recently discovered tripod kagome lattice material Ho₃Mg₂Sb₃O₁₄unites an ice-like magnetic degeneracy with quantum-tunneling terms generated by an intrinsic splitting of the Ho³⁺ ground-state doublet. Using neutron scattering and thermodynamic experiments, we observe a symmetry-breaking transition at T* ~ 0.32 K to a remarkable quantum state with three peculiarities: a macroscopic degeneracy of ice-like microstates; a fragmentation of the spin into periodic and aperiodic components; and persistent spin fluctuations down to 0.12 K. A model incorporating the interplay of frustration and quantum dynamics is necessary to explain our scattering data. Our results establish Ho₃Mg₂Sb₃O₁₄ realizes quantum kagome ice, a frustrated Ising model with an intrinsic homogeneous transverse field.

March 6, 2018, 10:36 AM – March 6, 2018, 10:48 AM

Presenters

Zhiling Dun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- School of Physics, Georgia Tech
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech

Authors

Zhiling Dun
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- School of Physics, Georgia Tech
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech
XIAOJIAN BAI
- Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech
Joseph Paddison
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- University of Cambridge
- Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech
- Physics, University of Cambridge
Clarina Dela Cruz
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Lab
- Neutron scattering devision, Oak Ridge National Lab
- Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Matthew Stone
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Lab
- Oak Ridge National Laborator
- Neutron scattering devision, Oak Ridge National Lab
Tao Hong
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge National Lab
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Neutron scattering devision, Oak Ridge National Lab
Nicholas Butch
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology
- NIST Center for Neutron Research
- NIST- Natl Inst of Stds & Tech
- Center for Neutron Research, NIST -Natl Inst of Stds & Tech
- NIST -Natl Inst of Stds & Tech
- NIST center for neutron research
- NIST
Martin Mourigal
- School of Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology
- School of Physics, Georgia Tech
- Georgia Inst of Tech
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Physics, Georgia Inst of Tech
Haidong Zhou
- Physics and Astronomy, Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Tennessee
- University of Tennessee
- Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee
- Physics, University of Tennessee
- Univ of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, knoxville
- Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee