Researchers at NIST and international partners have discovered experimental evidence of a rare quantum paramagnetic spin state in a series of antiferromagnetic materials with a kagome lattice structure. The study, published in Nature Materials, used neutron scattering techniques to probe the spin arrangements in zinc-copper compounds at the NIST Center for Neutron Research and the Hahn-Meitner Institute in Berlin.
The researchers found evidence of entangled spin singlets forming in the materials, which allowed them to construct a complete phase diagram showing how varying concentrations of zinc and copper and different temperatures affected the spin arrangements. This work could help test current and future theoretical models of exotic spin states and may have implications for understanding high-temperature superconductivity.
The materials studied are composed of repeating layers with a kagome lattice structure, a pattern of triangles laid point-to-point resembling a six-point star. Physicists have been studying these materials for over 20 years due to their potential to harbor interesting spin structures. The discovery of the quantum paramagnetic spin state in these materials could advance our understanding of quantum spin liquids and their potential applications in quantum technologies.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2007/09/probing-rare-material-spin-state-nist
Keywords: Neutrons, Antiferromagnets, Spins
