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Condensed-matter physics

Quantum mechanics in a spin

Nature volume 540, pages 534–535 (2016)Cite this article

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Quantum spin liquids are exotic states of matter first predicted more than 40 years ago. An inorganic material has properties consistent with these predictions, revealing details about the nature of quantum matter. See Letter p.559

The phenomenon of magnetism, discovered thousands of years ago, arises from the alignment of electron magnetic moments known as spins. But if these spins do not align, they can form a truly quantum state called a quantum spin liquid (QSL). On page 559, Shen et al.1 report measurements of exotic spin excitations in an inorganic material (of ytterbium, magnesium, gallium and oxygen; YbMgGaO4). The authors' observations suggest that YbMgGaO4 forms a QSL that is closely analogous to a state of matter associated with electrons in a metal. The appearance of electron-like particles in such a material is surprising, and indicates extraordinary 'quantum entanglement' of the underlying spins.

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Figure 1: Identifying a quantum spin liquid.

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  1. Leon Balents is at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA.,

    Leon Balents

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  1. Leon Balents
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Correspondence to Leon Balents.

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Balents, L. Quantum mechanics in a spin. Nature 540, 534–535 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/540534a

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