Antiferroquadrupolar correlations in the quantum spin ice candidate Pr2Zr2O7

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:17060053,
            doi = {10.48660/17060053},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/17060053},
            author = {Petit, Sylvain},
            keywords = {Condensed Matter},
            language = {en},
            title = {Antiferroquadrupolar correlations in the quantum spin ice candidate Pr2Zr2O7},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2017},
            month = {jun},
            note = {PIRSA:17060053 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

We present an experimental study of the quantum spin ice candidate pyrochlore compound Pr2Zr2O7 by means of magnetization measurements, specic heat and neutron scattering. We confirm that the spin excitation spectrum is essentially inelastic [1] and consists in a broad flat mode centered at about 0.4 meV with a magnetic structure factor which resembles the spin ice pattern. The new experimental results obtained under an applied magnetic field, interpreted in the light of mean field calculations, draw a new picture where quadrupolar interactions play a major role and overcome the magnetic exchange coupling. We determine a range of acceptable parameters able to account for the observations and propose that the actual ground state of this material is an antiferroquadrupolar liquid with spin-ice like excitations [2]. The influence of disorder is also discussed.