Quantum Spin Fragmentation 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. Here, we show that the tripod kagome lattice material Ho3Mg2Sb3O14 unites an ice-like magnetic degeneracy with quantum-tunneling terms generated by an intrinsic splitting of the Ho3+ ground-state doublet, realizing a frustrated transverse Ising model. Using neutron scattering and thermodynamic experiments, we observe a symmetry-breaking transition at 0.32 K to a remarkable quantum spin-fragmented states with strongly reduced ordered/local moment. Using exact diagonalization and mean-field calculation, we demonstrate that whereas the transverse field tends to drive the system into a spin-liquid state with zero on-site moment, the hyperfine interaction helps to stabilize the fragmented local moments. Our results establish that Ho3Mg2Sb3O14 realizes a quantum spin-fragmented state on the kagome lattice.

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Presenters

  • Xiaojian Bai

    School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology

Authors

  • Zhiling Dun

    School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Physics, Georgia Tech, University of Tennessee, Department of Physics, University of Tennessee

  • Xiaojian Bai

    School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Joseph Paddison

    Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Georgia Institute of Technology, Univserity of Cambridge, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge

  • Emily Hollingworth

    School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Franz Demmel

    ISIS facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

  • Nicholas Butch

    NIST Center for Neutron Research, Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park & NIST

  • Clarina Dela Cruz

    Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 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

  • Tao Hong

    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

  • Martin Mourigal

    School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Physics, Georgia Tech

  • Haidong Zhou

    University of Tennessee, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States, Physics, University of Tennessee, Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Department of Physics, University of Tennessee