Quantum Spin Liquids

TL;DR

Quantum spin liquids are exotic quantum phases with topological properties and fractional excitations, with growing experimental evidence suggesting their realization in certain materials.

Contribution

This paper reviews the concept of quantum spin liquids, their topological features, and summarizes recent experimental evidence supporting their existence in various materials.

Findings

Evidence of fractionalization in candidate materials

Topological features observed in experiments

Growing experimental support for quantum spin liquids

Abstract

Spin liquids are quantum phases of matter that exhibit a variety of novel features associated with their topological character. These include various forms of fractionalization - elementary excitations that behave as fractions of an electron. While there is not yet entirely convincing experimental evidence that any particular material has a spin liquid ground state, in the past few years, increasing evidence has accumulated for a number of materials suggesting that they have characteristics strongly reminiscent of those expected for a quantum spin liquid.