Beyond Single Tetrahedron Physics of Breathing Pyrochlore Compound Ba3Yb2Zn5O11

TL;DR

This study investigates the low-energy physics of the breathing pyrochlore compound Ba3Yb2Zn5O11 using various experimental techniques, revealing phenomena beyond the previously assumed single-tetrahedron physics.

Contribution

The paper provides new experimental insights and a simplified model that extend understanding of breathing pyrochlore systems beyond prior single-tetrahedron theories.

Findings

Experimental data suggest complex low-energy behavior.

Evidence of phenomena beyond single-tetrahedron physics.

New simplified model offers better interpretation.

Abstract

Recently a new class of quantum magnets, the so-called breathing pyrochlore spin systems, have attracted much attention due to their potential to host exotic emergent phenomena. Here, we present magnetometry, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, Muon-spin relaxation, and polarized inelastic neutron scattering measurements performed on high-quality single-crystal samples of breathing pyrochlore compound Ba3Yb2Zn5O11. We interpret these results using a simplified toy model and provide a new insight into the low-energy physics of this system beyond the single-tetrahedron physics proposed previously.