Non-spin-ice quantum spin liquid (QSL) with Ce-based dipole-octupole doublets Ce<sub>2</sub>Zr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

The quantum spin liquid (QSL) state, which has no conventional order parameter associated with a broken symmetry, is an exotic state where the spins are highly entangled with one another. Although recent claims on some QSL candidates are under debate due to disorder and spin freezing, we find a non-spin-ice QSL with Ce-based dipole-octupole doublets Ce2Zr2O7. High-quality single crystals of Ce2Zr2O7 are grown by a floating zone method. We confirmed the Kramer doublet ground state in Ce3+ ions from crystal electric field measurements. We revealed that the quasi-elastic structure factor and Pauling entropy is totally suppressed in this system by carrying out diffuse neutron scattering and heat capacity measurements. Our AC magnetic susceptibility and muon-spin relaxation measurements suggest no spin freezing down to 0.02 K. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments display broad excitation continua along Brillouin zone boundaries, indicating fractional spin excitation, which is the key feature of QSL. This, together with the absence of features of spin ice and spin glass, suggest the system is a non-spin-ice QSL state at low temperature, where spins are highly correlated but fluctuate strongly.

*US NSF DMR-1700081
US DOE R18601
U.S. DOE DEAC05-00OR22725
cQMS (EPiQS - GBMF6402)

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Presenters

  • Bin Gao

    • Rutgers University, New Brunswick
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

Authors

  • Bin Gao

    • Rutgers University, New Brunswick
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

  • Tong Chen

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

  • Kalyan Sasmal

    • University of California, San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA

  • Manivannan Nallaiyan

    • Quantum Design Inc, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
    • Quantum Design Inc

  • David W Tam

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

  • Chien-Lung Huang

    • Rice University
    • Physics and Astronomy, Rice University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

  • Gabriele Sala

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak-Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Feng Ye

    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National LaboratoryOak Ridge, Tennessee 37381, USA
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN 37831
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Matthew Brandon Stone

    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • D. T. Adroja

    • ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Science and Technology Facilities Council
    • Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Facility
    • TFC Rutherford-Appleton Laborator, ISIS Facility

  • Christopher Baines

    • The Paul Scherrer Institute

  • Joel Barker

    • The Paul Scherrer Institute

  • Huibo Cao

    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Songxue Chi

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN 37831
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Stefano Spagna

    • Quantum Design Inc, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
    • Quantum Design Inc

  • Sang-Wook Cheong

    • Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Rutgers University, New Brunswick
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Center for Quantum Materials Synthesis and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
    • Department of Physics, Rutgers University
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
    • Physics, Rutgers University
    • Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Jersey
    • Rutgers University, Physics and Astronomy, and Laboratory for Pohang Emergent Materials and Max Plank POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Materials, Pohang University of Science
    • RCEM, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers U.
    • Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials

  • Emilia Morosan

    • Rice University
    • Physics and Astronomy, Rice University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

  • M Brian Maple

    • University of California, San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
    • UC San Diego
    • Physics, University of California, San Diego
    • Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
    • Physics, University of California, SanDiego

  • Gang Chen

    • Fudan University
    • Department of Physics, Fudan University

  • Pengcheng Dai

    • Rice University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA