Double Vibronic process in the quantum spin ice candidate Tb${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$ revealed by terahertz spectroscopy

Abstract

The origin of quantum fluctuations responsible for the spin liquid state in Tb${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$ has remained a long standing problem. By synchrotron-based terahertz measurements, we show evidence of strong coupling between the magnetic and lattice degrees of freedom that provides a path to the quantum melting process. As revealed by hybrid crystal electric field-phonon excitations that appear at 0.67 THz below 200 K, and around 0.42 THz below 50 K, the double vibronic process is unique for Tb${}^{3+}$ in the titanate family due to adequate energy matching and strong quadrupolar moments. The results suggest that lattice motion can indeed be the driving force behind spin flips within the hybridized ground and first excited states, promoting quantum terms in the effective Hamiltonian that describes Tb${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$.

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Cited by in corpus (12)

• Frustrated quantum rare-earth pyrochlores
• Magneto-elastic induced vibronic bound state in the spin ice pyrochlore Ho${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$
• Importance of dynamic lattice effects for crystal field excitations in quantum spin ice candidate Pr${}_2$Zr${}_2$O${}_7$
• Continuum excitation and pseudospin wave in quantum spin-liquid and quadrupole ordered states of Tb${}_{2+x}$Ti${}_{2-x}$O${}_{7+y}$
• Field induced phase diagram of the XY pyrochlore antiferromagnet Er${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$
• Terahertz Magneto-optical investigation of quadrupolar spin-lattice effects in magnetically frustrated Tb2Ti2O7
• Low Energy Magneto-optics of Tb${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$ in [111] Magnetic Field
• Manifestation of vibronic dynamics in infrared spectra of Mott insulating fullerides
• Magnetic field tuning of crystal field levels and vibronic states in Spin-ice Ho${}_2$Ti${}_2$O${}_7$ observed in far-infrared reflectometry
• Elastic study of electric quadrupolar correlation in the paramagnetic state of a frustrated quantum magnet $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{b}}_{2+\delta }\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2-\delta }{\mathrm{O}}_7$
• Intertwined Magnetic Dipolar and Electric Quadrupolar Correlations in the Pyrochlore Tb${}_2$Ge${}_2$O${}_7$
• Exploring possible magnetic monopoles-induced magneto-electricity in spin ices