Scientists crack decades-old mystery of quantum spin liquid with magnetic breakthrough
To construct the novel material, scientists utilized ruthenium atoms, strategically positioning them to form an open framework structure.
A team of researchers has made a major breakthrough in the field of quantum materials.
“A new route to materials with complex ‘disordered’ magnetic properties at the quantum level has been produced for the first time,” said the research team from the University of Birmingham.
“The material, based on a framework of ruthenium, fulfills the requirements of the ‘Kitaev quantum spin liquid state’ – an elusive phenomenon that scientists have been trying to understand for decades,” said the researchers in a press release.
This material exhibits the characteristics of a “quantum spin liquid,” a state of matter with potential applications in various future technologies.
Distinctive behavior of quantum spin liquids
In typical magnets, the spins of electrons align in a uniform direction. However, in a quantum spin liquid, the spins of electrons do not align in a uniform manner.
“Instead of the well-ordered characteristics of ferromagnets, these materials are disordered and the electrons within them connect magnetically via a process called quantum entanglement,” added the press release.
This behavior is driven by quantum entanglement, a phenomenon where the fates of individual electrons become intertwined.
Scientists have developed theoretical models describing quantum spin liquids for many years. However, creating these materials in a laboratory setting has been a challenge.
This is because, in most materials, electron spins tend to settle into an ordered state, similar to the alignment seen in conventional magnets.
Article