Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: YbMgGaO4, a structurally perfect two-dimensional triangular lattice with an odd number of electrons per unit cell and spin-orbit entangled effective spin-1/2 local moments for the Yb(3+) ions, is likely to experimentally realize the quantum spin liquid ground state. We report the first experimental characterization of single-crystal YbMgGaO4 samples. Because of the spin-orbit entanglement, the interaction between the neighboring Yb(3+) moments depends on the bond orientations and is highly anisotropic in the spin space. We carry out thermodynamic and the electron spin resonance measurements to confirm the anisotropic nature of the spin interaction as well as to quantitatively determine the couplings. Our result is a first step towards the theoretical understanding of the possible quantum spin liquid ground state in this system and sheds new light on the search for quantum spin liquids in strong spin-orbit coupled insulators.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Institutions: Renmin University of China, Fudan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Institute of Solid State Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Language: English
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2896635495, G3168813150
OpenAlex ID: W1900173860