Absence of Magnetic Thermal Conductivity in the Quantum Spin-Liquid Candidate YbMgGaO<sub>4</sub>

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APS March Meeting 2018

Volume 63, Number 1

Monday–Friday, March 5–9, 2018; Los Angeles, California

Session R24: 2D Frustrated Spin Systems: YbMgGaO₄ and Kagome

8:00 AM–11:00 AM, Thursday, March 8, 2018
LACC Room: 403A

Sponsoring Units: GMAG DMP
Chair: Martin Mourigal, Georgia Inst of Tech

Abstract ID: BAPS.2018.MAR.R24.6

Abstract: R24.00006 : Absence of Magnetic Thermal Conductivity in the Quantum Spin-Liquid Candidate YbMgGaO₄

9:24 AM–9:36 AM

Abstract

Presenter:

Yang Xu
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

Authors:

Yang Xu
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

Jun Zhang
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

Yuesheng Li
(Department of Physics, Renmin University of China)

Yunjie Yu
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

Xiaochen Hong
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

Zhen Ma
(National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University)

Jinsheng Wen
(National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University)

Qingming Zhang
(Department of Physics, Renmin University of China)

Shiyan Li
(State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Department of Physics, and Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University)

We present the ultralow-temperature specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements on single crystals of YbMgGaO₄, which was recently argued to be a promising candidate for a quantum spin liquid (QSL). In a zero magnetic field, a large magnetic contribution of specific heat is observed, and exhibits a power-law temperature dependence (C_m ∼ T^0.74). On the contrary, we do not observe any significant contribution of thermal conductivity from magnetic excitations. In magnetic fields H ≥ 6 T, the exponential T dependence of C_m and the enhanced thermal conductivity indicate a magnon gap of the fully polarized state. More crucially, from ultralow-temperature a.c. susceptibility measurements, we find evidence for a spin-glass ground state with the observation of frequency-dependent peaks around 0.1 K. Therefore, we conclude that instead of a QSL, the ground state of YbMgGaO₄ is likely a disorder-induced spin glass [1, 2].
[1] Y. Xu, et al., Physical Review Letters 117, 267202 (2016).
[2] Z. Ma, et al., arXiv:1709.00256.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2018.MAR.R24.6

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Bulletin of the American Physical Society

APS March Meeting 2018

Volume 63, Number 1

Monday–Friday, March 5–9, 2018; Los Angeles, California

Session R24: 2D Frustrated Spin Systems: YbMgGaO4 and Kagome

Abstract: R24.00006 : Absence of Magnetic Thermal Conductivity in the Quantum Spin-Liquid Candidate YbMgGaO4

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Authors:

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Session R24: 2D Frustrated Spin Systems: YbMgGaO₄ and Kagome

Abstract: R24.00006 : Absence of Magnetic Thermal Conductivity in the Quantum Spin-Liquid Candidate YbMgGaO₄