Spin liquid state in a rare-earth hyperkagome lattice
- Indian Inst. of Technology (IIT), Madras (India)
- Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay (France)
- Ames Lab., and Iowa State University, Ames, IA (United States)
- Jozef Stefan Institute (IJS), Ljubljana (Slovenia)
- University of Johannesburg (South Africa)
- National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
- Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)
- Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras (India)
- Jozef Stefan Institute (IJS), Ljubljana (Slovenia); University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)
We report quantum fluctuations enhanced by frustration and subtle interplay between competing degrees of freedom offer an ideal ground to realize novel states with fractional quantum numbers in quantum materials that defy standard theoretical paradigms. Quantum spin liquid (QSL) is a highly entangled state wherein frustration-induced strong quantum fluctuations preclude symmetry-breaking phase transitions down to zero temperature without any order parameter. Experimental realizations of QSL in quantum materials with spin dimensionality greater than one is very rare. Here, we present our thermodynamic, nuclear magnetic resonance, muon spin relaxation, and inelastic neutron scattering studies of a rare-earth hyperkagome compound Li3Yb3Te2O12 in which Yb3+ ions constitute a three-dimensional spin lattice without any detectable disorder. Our comprehensive experiments evince neither signature of magnetic ordering nor spin freezing down to 38 mK that suggest the realization of dynamic liquid-like ground state in this antiferromagnet. The ground state of this material is interpreted by a low energy Jeff = 1/2 degrees of freedom with short-range spin correlations. The present results demonstrate a viable basis to explore spin-orbit driven enigmatic correlated quantum states in a class of rare-earth-based three-dimensional frustrated magnets that may open avenues in theoretical and experimental search for spin liquids.
- Research Organization:
- Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; France Canada Research Fund; Slovenian Research agency; University of Johannesburg (UJ); National Research Foundation South Africa
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11358
- OSTI ID:
- 1889441
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1915387
- Report Number(s):
- IS-J-10,899; IS-J-10,799; TRN: US2309955
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. B, Vol. 106, Issue 10; ISSN 2469-9950
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
magnetic susceptibility
magnetism
antiferromagnets
strongly correlated systems
magnetization measurements
muon spin relaxation and rotation
muon spin resonance
neutron scattering
nuclear magnetic resonance
specific heat measurements
susceptibility measurements