Their findings were published in Physical Review Letters.
Quantum spin liquids are systems in which magnetic spins are disordered and behave like a liquid, even at temperatures near absolute zero. They have attracted considerable interest due to their potential for applications in quantum computing, data storage, and other technologies.
The team synthesized highly pure single crystals of a kagome-based compound and used neutron scattering and other techniques to study its properties. The kagome lattice of this compound is composed of corner-sharing triangles, a topology known to host a variety of exotic quantum states.
The team found that small amounts of disorder dramatically alter quantum spin liquids in several ways. First, they found that the spin-liquid state becomes a long-range ordered state at very low temperatures. Second, they found that disorder induces gaps in the spin-liquid spectrum, which affect the material's electronic properties.
These findings provide valuable information about the behavior of quantum spin liquids in the presence of disorder, which is important for understanding their potential for use in future technologies.
