Survival of itinerant excitations and quantum spin state transitions in YbMgGaO4 with chemical disorder

Rao, X.; Hussain, G.; Huang, Q.; Chu, W. J.; Li, N.; Zhao, X.; Dun, Z.; Choi, E. S.; Asaba, T.; Chen, L.; Li, L.; Yue, X. Y.; Wang, N. N.; Cheng, J. -G.; Gao, Y. H.; Shen, Y.; Zhao, J.; Chen, Gang; Zhou, H. D.; Sun, X. F.

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-25247-6

Survival of itinerant excitations and quantum spin state transitions in YbMgGaO₄ with chemical disorder

Journal Article · Mon Aug 16 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25247-6· OSTI ID:1853498

Rao, X. ^[1]; Hussain, G. ^[2]; ^[3]; Chu, W. J. ^[2]; Li, N. ^[2]; Zhao, X. ^[2]; Dun, Z. ^[3]; Choi, E. S. ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[5]; ^[5]; Yue, X. Y. ^[6]; Wang, N. N. ^[7]; ^[7]; Gao, Y. H. ^[8]; Shen, Y. ^[8]; ^[8]; ^[9]; ^[3]; ^[10]

Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States)
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Anhui Univ., Hefei (China)
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China)
Fudan Univ., Shanghai (China)
Fudan Univ., Shanghai (China); City Univ. of Hong Kong, Kowloon (Hong Kong)
Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Anhui Univ., Hefei (China)

A recent focus of quantum spin liquid (QSL) studies is how disorder/randomness in a QSL candidate affects its true magnetic ground state. The ultimate question is whether the QSL survives disorder or the disorder leads to a “spin-liquid-like” state, such as the proposed random-singlet (RS) state. Since disorder is a standard feature of most QSL candidates, this question represents a major challenge for QSL candidates. YbMgGaO₄, a triangular lattice antiferromagnet with effective spin-1/2 Yb³⁺ions, is an ideal system to address this question, since it shows no long-range magnetic ordering with Mg/Ga site disorder. Despite the intensive study, it remains unresolved as to whether YbMgGaO₄ is a QSL or in the RS state. Here, through ultralow-temperature thermal conductivity and magnetic torque measurements, plus specific heat and DC magnetization data, we observed a residual κ₀/T term and series of quantum spin state transitions in the zero temperature limit for YbMgGaO₄. These observations strongly suggest that a QSL state with itinerant excitations and quantum spin fluctuations survives disorder in YbMgGaO₄.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Hefei (China); Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Hefei Science Center CAS; MOST of China; National Basic Research Program of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China; National Science Foundation (NSF); Research Grants Council of Hong Kong; Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; USDOE Office of Science (SC)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0020184

OSTI ID:: 1853498

Journal Information:: Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 12; ISSN 2041-1723

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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