Controlled disorder in Ho2GaSbO7 and Ho2ScSbO7 preserves the dipolar spin-ice state but generates disorder-induced quantum fluctuations via splitting of the non-Kramers ground-state doublet.
Disorder-induced proximate quantum spin ice phase in Pr2Sn2O7
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abstract
Magnetic pyrochlores with non-Kramers rare-earth ions provide a platform for exploring emergent gauge physics and quantum spin-ice behavior, yet the influence of structural disorder on their ground states remains insufficiently understood. Here we combine bulk characterization and single-crystal neutron-scattering measurements to investigate the non-Kramers pyrochlore Pr2Sn2O7. At temperatures below ~1 K, the system exhibits key hallmarks of quantum spin-ice physics, including anisotropic spin-ice correlations and two distinct dynamical timescales. Upon further cooling, however, we observe a complete spin-freezing transition at T_f ~ 0.15 K, accompanied by recovery of the full nuclear Schottky anomaly, the emergence of a gapped magnetic excitation, and the development of incipient (100) magnetic correlations. Comparison with related Pr-based pyrochlores places Pr2Sn2O7 near the spin-frozen boundary of a disorder-perturbed phase diagram. These results establish a disorder-driven framework for how quantum spin-ice behavior evolves into frozen ground states, demonstrating that proximity to a quantum spin liquid can coexist with disorder-induced spin freezing in non-Kramers pyrochlores.
fields
cond-mat.str-el 1years
2026 1verdicts
UNVERDICTED 1representative citing papers
citing papers explorer
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Influence of controlled disorder on the dipolar spin ice state of Ho-based pyrochlores
Controlled disorder in Ho2GaSbO7 and Ho2ScSbO7 preserves the dipolar spin-ice state but generates disorder-induced quantum fluctuations via splitting of the non-Kramers ground-state doublet.