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Title: Novel Strongly Spin-Orbit Coupled Quantum Dimer Magnet: Yb 2 Si 2 O 7

Abstract

The quantum dimer magnet (QDM) is the canonical example of quantum magnetism. The QDM state consists of entangled nearest-neighbor spin dimers and often exhibits a field-induced triplon Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) phase. We report on a new QDM in the strongly spin-orbit coupled, distorted honeycomb-lattice material Yb2Si2O7. Our single crystal neutron scattering, specific heat, and ultrasound velocity measurements reveal a gapped singlet ground state at zero field with sharp, dispersive excitations. We find a field-induced magnetically ordered phase reminiscent of a BEC phase, with exceptionally low critical fields of Hc1 ~ 0.4 and Hc2 ~ 1.4 T. Using inelastic neutron scattering in an applied magnetic field we observe a Goldstone mode (gapless to within δE=0.037 meV) that persists throughout the entire field-induced magnetically ordered phase, suggestive of the spontaneous breaking of U(1) symmetry expected for a triplon BEC. However, in contrast to other well-known cases of this phase, the high-field (μ0H≥1.2 T) part of the phase diagram in Yb2Si2O7 is interrupted by an unusual regime signaled by a change in the field dependence of the ultrasound velocity and magnetization, as well as the disappearance of a sharp anomaly in the specific heat. Finally, these measurements raise the question of how anisotropymore » in strongly spin-orbit coupled materials modifies the field induced phases of QDMs.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [3]; ORCiD logo [3];  [2];  [4]
  1. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
  2. Univ. of Sherbrooke, QB (Canada)
  3. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  4. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Canadian Inst. for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, ON (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1607232
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725; DMR-1611217
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 123; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; antiferromagnetism; critical field; exchange interaction; Goldstone bosons; hard-core bosons; paramagnetism; phase diagrams; triplon

Citation Formats

Hester, Gavin, Nair, H. S., Reeder, T., Yahne, D. R., DeLazzer, T. N., Berges, L., Ziat, D., Neilson, J. R., Aczel, Adam A., Sala, Gabriele, Quilliam, J. A., and Ross, K. A. Novel Strongly Spin-Orbit Coupled Quantum Dimer Magnet: Yb2Si2O7. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.027201.
Hester, Gavin, Nair, H. S., Reeder, T., Yahne, D. R., DeLazzer, T. N., Berges, L., Ziat, D., Neilson, J. R., Aczel, Adam A., Sala, Gabriele, Quilliam, J. A., & Ross, K. A. Novel Strongly Spin-Orbit Coupled Quantum Dimer Magnet: Yb2Si2O7. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.027201
Hester, Gavin, Nair, H. S., Reeder, T., Yahne, D. R., DeLazzer, T. N., Berges, L., Ziat, D., Neilson, J. R., Aczel, Adam A., Sala, Gabriele, Quilliam, J. A., and Ross, K. A. Tue . "Novel Strongly Spin-Orbit Coupled Quantum Dimer Magnet: Yb2Si2O7". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.027201. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1607232.
@article{osti_1607232,
title = {Novel Strongly Spin-Orbit Coupled Quantum Dimer Magnet: Yb2Si2O7},
author = {Hester, Gavin and Nair, H. S. and Reeder, T. and Yahne, D. R. and DeLazzer, T. N. and Berges, L. and Ziat, D. and Neilson, J. R. and Aczel, Adam A. and Sala, Gabriele and Quilliam, J. A. and Ross, K. A.},
abstractNote = {The quantum dimer magnet (QDM) is the canonical example of quantum magnetism. The QDM state consists of entangled nearest-neighbor spin dimers and often exhibits a field-induced triplon Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) phase. We report on a new QDM in the strongly spin-orbit coupled, distorted honeycomb-lattice material Yb2Si2O7. Our single crystal neutron scattering, specific heat, and ultrasound velocity measurements reveal a gapped singlet ground state at zero field with sharp, dispersive excitations. We find a field-induced magnetically ordered phase reminiscent of a BEC phase, with exceptionally low critical fields of Hc1 ~ 0.4 and Hc2 ~ 1.4 T. Using inelastic neutron scattering in an applied magnetic field we observe a Goldstone mode (gapless to within δE=0.037 meV) that persists throughout the entire field-induced magnetically ordered phase, suggestive of the spontaneous breaking of U(1) symmetry expected for a triplon BEC. However, in contrast to other well-known cases of this phase, the high-field (μ0H≥1.2 T) part of the phase diagram in Yb2Si2O7 is interrupted by an unusual regime signaled by a change in the field dependence of the ultrasound velocity and magnetization, as well as the disappearance of a sharp anomaly in the specific heat. Finally, these measurements raise the question of how anisotropy in strongly spin-orbit coupled materials modifies the field induced phases of QDMs.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.027201},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = 2,
volume = 123,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Tue Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

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Cited by: 17 works
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Figures / Tables:

FIG. 1 FIG. 1: a) Crystal structure of Yb2Si2O7 viewed along the c-axis, where Yb atoms are light green and form a distorted honeycomb lattice, Si atoms are blue, and O atoms are red [27]. Intradimer and interdimer bond lengths are shown (3% anisotropy), and Jintra and Jinter exchange tensors are labeled.more » The blue ovals indicate the probable location of the dimers. b) Crystal structure viewed along the b-axis, showing the separation of the layers of Yb honeycombs. c) Characteristic crystals obtained from breaking the crystal boule. The crystals are clear and colorless.« less

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Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.