Quantum spin liquid: scientists find evidence of exotic state of matter

Quantum spin liquid is an exotic state of matter that scientists have already predicted in various studies and may be present in certain types of magnetic materials. In a new study published in the scientific journal Nature Physics, An international team of researchers claims to have found evidence that quantum spin liquid is real.

By combining the latest experimental techniques, scientists measurement how neutrons interact magnetically with electron spin in a material called cerium pyrochlore stannate.

They observed during the experiment behavior of spins interacting with light-like waves; like this, Data has been collected that suggests the existence of quantum spin liquid. The experiment was carried out at extremely low temperatures using a special spectrometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble, France.

High-resolution data could help provide greater detail about this theoretical state of matter. Despite, The researchers emphasize that it is still necessary to investigate some other parameters to obtain irrefutable evidence for the existence of quantum spin liquid.

“Neutron diffraction is a widely used tool for analyzing the behavior of spins in magnetic materials. However, it is very difficult to find clear and indisputable evidence proving that the material hosts a quantum spin liquid,” said one of the study’s authors. and Andriy Nevidomskyy, professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University, made a statement.

Although it is called quantum spin liquid, scientists study this phenomenon in solid materials.

Has quantum spin fluid been approved?

In 2022, Nevidomskyy published another study aimed at better understanding the parameters of this possible state of matter. But he realized that the task was not simple.

In the new study, the team triggered a phenomenon called “magnetic blocking” in pyrochlore. In conclusion, Conventional stabilization of the material’s spins was prevented, allowing scientists to observe evidence of quantum spin liquid.

Although it doesn’t confirm anything, scientists believe the study offers some of the best evidence that this condition exists. However, it is important to continue investigating exotic states of matter to expand understanding of the subject.

“At the quantum level, electrons interact with each other by emitting and reabsorbing amounts of light, known as photons. Similarly, in a quantum spin liquid, the interaction between spins is described in terms of light-like “quantum” exchanges,” Nevidomskyy adds.

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