Close Proximity to a Quantum Phase Transition in TmZn_{2}GaO_{5}.

TmZn_{2}GaO_{5} is a newly synthesized triangular lattice magnet that exhibits a unique quantum phase characterized by strong Ising anisotropy, a pseudodoublet crystal electric field ground state, and a low-energy gapped excitation at the K point. Unlike its well-known counterparts, TmMgGaO_{4} and YbMgGaO_{4}, this material crystallizes in a distinct hexagonal structure, leading to a platform for investigating frustrated magnetism. Magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and inelastic neutron scattering measurements confirm the absence of long-range magnetic order down to 50 mK, placing TmZn_{2}GaO_{5} in a distinct region of the transverse-field Ising model phase diagram. Theoretical calculations based on spin-wave theory and mean-field modeling reproduce key experimental observations, reinforcing the material's placement in a quantum disordered or multipolar state near a quantum critical point that separates it from the low-energy phase of TmMgGaO_{4}. These results highlight its potential for exploring quantum disordered states, anisotropic excitations, and exotic quantum phases in frustrated spin systems.

Duke Scholars

Author Sara Haravifard Physics