Neutrons Identify Key Ingredients of the Quantum Spin Liquid Recipe (IMAGE)

DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Neutrons Identify Key Ingredients of the Quantum Spin Liquid Recipe

Caption

Red arrows represent electron spin orientations in a portion of the YbMgGaO4 crystal structure, where antiferromagnetic interactions between groups of magnetic moments cause neighboring spins to align anti-parallel to one another. This mechanism is partially responsible for the quantum spin liquid behavior observed in the neutron scattering data, illustrated on the hexagonal tiles.

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Image credit: ORNL/Jill Hemman

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Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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