Novel ground states and excitations in quantum spin liquids

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"Summary:Quantum materials have the powerful ability to both capture the public's imagination and drive advancement of technologies critical to society. The 40 year search for Quantum SpinLiquids (QSLs) encapsulates this statement; originally predicted to underpin high temperature superconductivity, this elusive search has serendipitously led to some of the most groundbreaking discoveries in fundamental condensed matter physics. Up to now, the search for QSLs is limited by the lack of model materials to study, the difficulty in making them and the challenges posed by characterising them. This project will build on our recent work addressing these bottlenecks by synthesising high quality samples of a recently discovered QSL model system and characterising its properties primarily with state-of-the-art neutron scattering techniques.Aims:- Synthesise high quality single crystals of quantum spin liquid candidates and explore routes to electronic doping.- Characterise the crystallographic and magnetic order and excitations of QSL single crystalsusing neutron diffraction, inelastic neutron scattering and electron microscopy.- Provide high quality training in inelastic neutron scattering and analysis with linear spinwave theory.- Provide a broad training in synthesis and materials characterisation techniques at theforefront of materials science.Methodology:This project is based on the synthesis and physical characterization of a recently discovered family of highly frustrated spin 1/2 quantum kagome magnets. It will involve high quality synthesis and single crystal growth, crystallography and neutron scattering studies which will be used to solve the magnetic structures, excitations and ground states of this material family. The project will involve extensive use of UKRI funded facilities: the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Diamond Light Source and the neutron source of the Institut Laue-Langevin. The project is co-funded between the University of Glasgow and the Institut Laue-Langevin, with time split roughly 50:50 between both institutions. "