Low temperature specific heat characterization of the geometrically frustrated magnetic compound Yb2Ti2O7

          @misc{ scivideos_PIRSA:17060037,
            doi = {10.48660/17060037},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/17060037},
            author = {Pomaranski, David},
            keywords = {Quantum Matter},
            language = {en},
            title = {Low temperature specific heat characterization of the geometrically frustrated magnetic compound Yb2Ti2O7},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics},
            year = {2017},
            month = {jun},
            note = {PIRSA:17060037 see, \url{https://scivideos.org/index.php/pirsa/17060037}}
          }
          

Abstract

Yb2Ti2O7 is a geometrically frustrated magnet that proposed as a quantum spin liquid (QSL) candidate. This would have an emergent U(1) gauge structure, support emergent quasiparticles and a continuum of gapless spin excitations. A cubic power law dependence is expected in the specific heat down to zero temperature. [1,2] Identifying a power law is hindered by the presence of a sharp transition at 0.26K and a Schottky anomaly due to nuclear hyperfine interactions below 0.1K. [3] By preparing an isotopically enriched sample with 174-Yb and 48-Ti, we suppress the Schottky anomaly. This allows us to extend the specific heat to lower temperatures, revealing a polynomial behavior to at least 0.05 K that is suggestive of a quantum spin liquid.