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Dynamical ground state in the XY pyrochlore Yb2GaSbO7
Abstract The magnetic ground state of the pyrochlore Yb 2 GaSbO 7 has not been established. The persistent spin fluctuations observed by muon spin-relaxation measurements at low temperatures have not been adequately explained for this material using existing theories for quantum magnetism. Here we report on the synthesis and characterisation of Yb 2 GaSbO 7 to revisit the nature of the magnetic ground state. Through DC and AC magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and neutron scattering experiments, we observe evidence for a dynamical ground state that makes Yb 2 GaSbO 7 a promising candidate for disorder-induced spin-liquid or spin-singlet behaviour. This state is quite fragile, being tuned to a splayed ferromagnet in a modest magnetic field μ 0 H c  ~ 1.5 T.
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Award ID(s):
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10322745
Journal Name:
npj Quantum Materials
Volume:
6
Issue:
1
ISSN:
2397-4648
1. We use neutron scattering to show that ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism coexist in the low T state of the pyrochlore quantum magnet$Yb2Ti2O7$. While magnetic Bragg peaks evidence long-range static ferromagnetic order, inelastic scattering shows that short-range correlated antiferromagnetism is also present. Small-angle neutron scattering provides direct evidence for mesoscale magnetic structure that we associate with metastable antiferromagnetism. Classical Monte Carlo simulations based on exchange interactions inferred from$⟨111⟩$-oriented high-field spin wave measurements confirm that antiferromagnetism is metastable within the otherwise ferromagnetic ground state. The apparent lack of coherent spin wave excitations and strong sensitivity to quenched disorder characterizingis a consequence of this multiphase magnetism.