Experimental signatures of a three-dimensional quantum spin liquid in effective spin-1/2 Ce2Zr2O7 pyrochlore

Invited

Abstract

A quantum spin liquid (QSL) is an exotic state of matter where unpaired electrons’ spins, although being entangled, do not show magnetic order even at the zero-temperature. Because such a state may be important to the microscopic origin of high-transition temperature superconductivity and useful for quantum computation, the experimental realization of QSL is a long-sought goal in condensed matter physics. Although neutron scattering experiments on the two-dimensional QSL candidates ZnCu3(OD)6Cl2 and YbMgGaO4 have found evidence for the hallmark of a QSL at very low temperature - a continuum of magnetic excitations, the presence of site disorder complicates the interpretation of the data. Recently, the three-dimensional (3D) Ce3+ pyrochlore lattice Ce2Sn2O7 has been suggested as a clean, effective spin-1/2 QSL candidate, but the evidence of a spin excitation continuum is missing due to the lack of single crystals. Here we use alternating current magnetic susceptibility, thermodynamic, muon spin relaxation (μSR), and neutron scattering experiments on single crystals of Ce2Zr2O7, a compound isostructural to Ce2Sn2O7, to demonstrate the absence of magnetic ordering/spin-glass down to 20 mK and the presence of a spin excitation continuum at 35 mK. With no evidence of oxygen deficiency and chemical disorder seen by diffuse scattering measurements and neutron diffraction, Ce2Zr2O7 may be a 3D pyrochlore lattice QSL material with minimum magnetic and nonmagnetic chemical disorder.

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Presenters

  • Bin Gao

    Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rice Univ

Authors

  • Bin Gao

    Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rice Univ

  • Tong Chen

    Rice Univ

  • David W Tam

    Rice Univ

  • Chien-Lung Huang

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

  • Kalyan Sasmal

    Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, University of California, San Diego, Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Devashibhai Adroja

    ISIS Facility, STFC Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory

  • Feng Ye

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

  • Huibo Cao

    Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA, Oak Ridge Natl Lab

  • Gabriele Sala

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

  • Matthew Stone

    Oak Ridge National Lab, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Quantum Condensed Matter Div, Oak Ridge National Lab, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab, Neutron Scattering Division, OakRidge National Laboratory

  • Christopher Baines

    Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Muon-Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institut

  • Joel Barker

    Laboratory for Muon-Spin Spectroscopy, Paul Scherrer Institut

  • Haoyu Hu

    Rice University, Rice Univ

  • Jae-Ho Chung

    Korea Univ, Department of Physics, Korea University, Korea University

  • Xianghan Xu

    Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA

  • Sang-Wook Cheong

    Rutgers University, R-CEM & Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Center for Emergent Materials, Rutgers University; Max Planck POSTECH/Korea Research Initiative, Pohang University of Science and Technol, Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, Physics and Astronomy, and Laboratory for Pohang Emergent Materials and Max Plank POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Materials, Pohang University of Science, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA, Rutgers University, Piscataway, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Physics & Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers Center for Emergent Materials and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Physics, Rutgers University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA

  • Manivannan Nallaiyan

    Quantum Design Inc.

  • Stefano Spagna

    Quantum Design Inc.

  • M Brian Maple

    Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, UCSD, University of California, San Diego, physics, University of Califormia, San Diego, Departement of Physics, University fo California, San Diego, Physics, University of California, San Diego

  • Andriy Nevidomskyy

    Rice Univ, Rice University

  • Emilia Morosan

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

  • Gang Chen

    State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China, Department of Physics and Center of Theoretical and Computational Physics, The University of Hong Kong

  • Pengcheng Dai

    Rice University, Rice Univ