Cavity-induced quantum spin liquids

Quantum spin liquids are the epitomes of highly entangled quantum states of matter. However, their detection in quantum materials remains elusive, due to the competition with more conventional magnetically ordered states.
In this talk, I will propose a novel mechanism to stabilise quantum spin liquid states by exploiting the coupling of quantum magnets to the quantised light of an optical cavity.
The interplay between the quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field and the strongly correlated electrons results in a tunable long-range interaction between localized spins. This cavity-induced frustration robustly stabilises spin liquid states, which occupy an extensive region in the phase diagram spanned by the range and strength of the tailored interaction. Remarkably, this occurs even in originally unfrustrated systems, as we showcase for the Heisenberg model on the square lattice.