The MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.
The MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.
Title: Fractionalized excitations and emergent photons in dipolar-octupolar quantum spin ice
Series: Condensed Matter Sciences Seminar
Host: Hitesh Changlani
Abstract: Quantum spin ice is a three-dimensional quantum spin liquid that hosts gapped spinons and emergent photons. It has been regarded as a canonical example of the lattice realization of emergent quantum electrodynamics. Despite intensive efforts, the realization of quantum spin ice in quantum materials remains an outstanding issue. Recently, significant theoretical and experimental progresses have been made regarding the Ce-based dipolar-octupolar pyrochlore systems, Ce2Zr2O7, Ce2Hf2O7, and Ce2Sn2O7, which suggest that these materials may host the so-called π-flux quantum spin ice. We present our theoretical works on unique signatures of fractionalized excitations and emergent photons in these systems, which include dynamical spin structure factors and thermodynamic responses. We provide detailed comparison between our theoretical results and recent neutron scattering experiments as well as thermodynamic measurements.