Ytterbium-magnesium-gallium-tetraoxide (YbMgGaO4
) is a newly discovered material and a
promising candidate for a quantum spin liquid (QSL) - an exotic state of matter with magnet
moments that exhibit unusual behaviour. QSLs have potential applications in high temperature
superconductivity and quantum computing. Muon spin relaxation and rotation (μSR) is an ideal
technique for experimentally probing the ground state, and can be performed in a true zero
field. A paper in Physical Review Letters presents a comprehensive μSR investigation of the
ground state spin dynamics of single crystals of YbMgGaO4
, and provides compelling evidence
for the formation of a gapless U(1) QSL ground state in this structurally perfect rare-earth
triangular antiferromagnetic.
Related publication: Yuesheng Li et al. “Muon Spin Relaxation Evidence for the U(1) Quantum
Spin-Liquid Ground State in the Triangular Antiferromagnet YbMgGaO4
” Phys. Rev. Lett. 117
(2016) : 097201.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.097201
