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arXiv · 2102.06309

Freezing of a disorder induced quantum spin liquid

Xiao Hu·Daniel M. Pajerowski·Depei Zhang·Andrey A. Podlesnyak·Yiming Qiu·Qing Huang·Haidong Zhou·Israel Klich·Alexander I. Kolesnikov·Matthew B. Stone·Seung-Hun Lee
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Abstract

$\rm{Sr_2CuTe_{0.5}W_{0.5}O_6}$ is a square-lattice magnet with super-exchange between S=1/2 $\rm{Cu^{2+}}$ spins mediated by randomly distributed Te and W ions. Here, using sub-K temperature and 20 $\rmμ$eV energy resolution neutron scattering experiments we show that this system transits from a gapless disorder-induced quantum spin liquid to a new quantum state below $\rm{T_f}$ = 1.7(1) K, exhibiting a weak frozen moment of /S ~ 0.1 and low energy dynamic susceptibility,$χ''({\hbarω})$ linear in energy which is surprising for such a weak freezing in this highly fluctuating quantum regime.

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Xiao Hu, Daniel M. Pajerowski, Depei Zhang, Andrey A. Podlesnyak, Yiming Qiu, Qing Huang, Haidong Zhou, Israel Klich, Alexander I. Kolesnikov, Matthew B. Stone, Seung-Hun Lee. 2021-02-11. Freezing of a disorder induced quantum spin liquid. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.127.017201

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