Quantum Spin Systems and Magnetic Frustration Investigated with High Frequency AC Susceptibility and Muons

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The study of fundamental properties of magnetic materials constantly evolves resulting in the observation of exciting new physical behaviour. This project will involve the study of geometrically frustrated materials, where magnetic interactions cannot be satisfied on a lattice leading to more than one ground state, a so called degenerate state. The work is an exciting area of condensed matter physics because excitations out of the ground state can reveal behaviour such as the observation of magnetic monopoles in the frustratedmaterial spin ice and because some ground states are always fluctuating because the quantum interactions become dominant. The large number of papers in Nature and Science in recent years demonstrate the vitality of this research area.This project will involve looking at dynamics of frustrated systems showing quantum behaviour, using a unique high frequency susceptometer and a superconducting quantum interference device developed in Cardiff at temperatures below 1 K. You will learnt the art of low temperature techniques, a highly desired skill in the drive for superconducting qubits. The work will be supported using complimentary techniques such as muons which are atomic probes of spin dynamics. Experimental work will be performed in Cardiff onour state of the art dilution fridge system and susceptometer, and at muon facilities in both Switzerland and Oxford. You will have the opportunity to travel to international conferences to present your work as well as publishing your work. This combination of techniques is available in only a few places in the world and will enable you to understand complex behaviour of frustrated materials.