The case for a U(1)<sub>π</sub> Quantum Spin Liquid Ground State in the Dipole-Octupole Pyrochlore Ce<sub>2</sub>Zr<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

The Ce3+ pseudospin-½ degrees of freedom in the pyrochlore magnet Ce2Zr2O7 are known to possess dipole-octupole character, making it a candidate for novel quantum spin liquid ground states at low temperatures. We’ve measured the heat capacity of Ce2Zr2O7 and fit the result to a quantum numerical linked cluster (NLC) calculation that allows estimates for the terms in the near-neighbour XYZ Hamiltonian expected for such dipole-octupole pyrochlore systems.  Fits of the same theory to the temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility and unpolarized neutron scattering complement this analysis to produce robust estimates of the near-neighbour exchange parameters.  A comparison between the resulting best fit NLC calculation and new polarized neutron diffraction results shows agreement, as well as discrepancies which are attributed to interactions beyond near-neighbours, such as zone-boundary diffuse scattering in the non-spin flip channel. We conclude that Ce2Zr2O7 realizes a U(1)π quantum spin liquid state at low temperatures, and one that resides near the boundary between dipolar and octupolar character. 

*The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

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Publication: E. M. Smith, O. Benton, D. R. Yahne, B. Placke, J. Gaudet, J. Dudemaine, A. Fitterman, J. Beare, A. R. Wildes, S. Bhattacharya, T. DeLazzer, C. R. C. Buhariwalla, N. P. Butch, R. Movshovich, J. D. Garrett, C. A. Marjerrison, J. P. Clancy, E. Kermarrec, G. M. Luke, A. D. Bianchi, K. A. Ross, B. D. Gaulin, arXiv:2108.01217 [cond-mat.str-el] (2021).

Presenters

  • Evan M Smith

    • McMaster Univ
    • McMaster University

Authors

  • Evan M Smith

    • McMaster Univ
    • McMaster University

  • Owen M Benton

    • Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems

  • Danielle R Yahne

    • Colorado State University

  • Benedikt Placke

    • Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems

  • Jonathan Gaudet

    • National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Johns Hopkins University

  • Jérémi Dudemaine

    • Université de Montréal

  • Avner Fitterman

    • Université de Montréal

  • James W Beare

    • McMaster Univ
    • McMaster University

  • Andrew R Wildes

    • Institut Laue-Langevin
    • Institut Laue Langevin

  • Suvam Bhattacharya

    • Université Paris-Saclay
    • Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay

  • Timothy N DeLazzer

    • Colorado State University

  • Connor Buhariwalla

    • McMaster University

  • Nicholas Butch

    • National Institute of Standards and Tech
    • National Institute of Standards and Technology
    • Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Roman Movshovich

    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab

  • James Garrett

    • Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research

  • Casey Marjerrison

    • McMaster University
    • Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research

  • James P Clancy

    • McMaster University

  • Edwin Kermarrec

    • Université Paris-Saclay
    • Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, 91405, Orsay, France
    • Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay

  • Graeme M Luke

    • McMaster Univ
    • McMaster University

  • Andrea Bianchi

    • Université de Montréal
    • Universite de Montreal

  • Kate A Ross

    • Colorado State University

  • Bruce D Gaulin

    • McMaster Univ
    • McMaster University