Gapless triangular-lattice spin-liquid candidate in PrZnAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$

Abstract

A quantum spin liquid (QSL) is an exotic state in which electron spins are highly entangled, yet keep fluctuating even at zero temperature. Experimental realization of model QSLs has been challenging due to imperfections, such as antisite disorder, strain, and extra or a lack of interactions in real materials compared to the model Hamiltonian. Here we report the magnetic susceptibility, thermodynamic, inelastic neutron scattering (INS), and muon-spin relaxation studies on a polycrystalline sample of PrZnAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$, where the Pr${}^{3+}$ ions form an ideal two-dimensional triangular lattice. Our results demonstrate that this system does not order nor freeze, but keep fluctuating down to 50 mK despite large antiferromagnetic couplings ($\sim$ -10 K). Furthermore, the INS and specific-heat data suggest that PrZnAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$ is best described as a gapless QSL.

arXiv comment8 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Quantum Spin Supersolid as a precursory Dirac Spin Liquid in a Triangular Lattice Antiferromagnet
• Ising-type quantum spin liquid state in PrMgAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$
• Synthesis, disorder and Ising anisotropy in a new spin liquid candidate PrMgAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$
• U(1) Dirac quantum spin liquid candidate in triangular-lattice antiferromagnet CeMgAl${}_{11}$O${}_{19}$
• Magnetic properties of a spin-orbit entangled Jeff = 1/2 honeycomb lattice
• Induced quantum magnetism on a triangular lattice of non-Kramers ions in PrMgAl11O19
• Interleaved bond frustration in a triangular lattice antiferromagnet
• Spin Excitation Continuum in the Exactly Solvable Triangular-Lattice Spin Liquid CeMgAl11O19
• Gapless spinon excitations emerging from a multipolar transverse field in the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet NaTmSe2
• Quasi-two-dimensional ferromagnetism in the triangular magnet EuAl${}_{12}$O${}_{19}$