Conference Presentation (Invited)

FZJ-2023-01573

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Chiral Spin Liquid Ground State in YBaCo3FeO7

Schweika, W.FZJ*

2023

Abstract: A chiral spin liquid state is discovered in the highly frustrated, layered kagome system YBaCo3FeO7 by polarized diffuse neutronscattering [1]. From the antisymmetric part of scattering, related to vector chirality, we determine the chiral correlation function byFourier analysis. The chiral short-range order indicates the emergence of chiral lumps. It can be described by cycloidal waves,which originate from the trigonal sites and extend into the kagome layers. The observed vector chirality agrees with the underlyingantisymmetric Dzialoshinsky-Moriya exchanges arising from broken spatial parity. This chiral spin liquid state is stable down tolowest temperatures despite of strong antiferromagnetic spin exchange. The observation of a possible short-range ordered groundstate raises a fundamental challenge. However, based on the classical theory of magnetic order, we show that such a groundstate may arise from the antisymmetric exchange acting as a frustrating gauge background stabilizing local spin lumps. Thisscenario may appear in many highly frustrated magnetic systems in non-centrosymmetric compounds and has similarities to theavoided phase transition in coupled gauge- and matter-fields for subnuclear particles. [1] W. Schweika, M. Valldor, J. D. Reim, andU. K. Rosler, Chiral Spin Liquid Ground State in YBaCo3FeO7, Phys. Rev. X 12, 021029 (2022).

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Streumethoden (JCNS-2)
2. Streumethoden (PGI-4)
3. JARA-FIT (JARA-FIT)

Research Program(s):

1. 632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional Materials (POF4-632) (POF4-632)
2. 6G4 - Jülich Centre for Neutron Research (JCNS) (FZJ) (POF4-6G4) (POF4-6G4)

Appears in the scientific report 2023

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