Disorder-induced proximate quantum spin ice phase in Pr2Sn2O7

TL;DR

This study investigates how structural disorder affects quantum spin-ice behavior in Pr2Sn2O7, revealing a transition from quantum spin-ice correlations to spin freezing at very low temperatures.

Contribution

It demonstrates that disorder can induce a transition from quantum spin-ice physics to a spin-frozen state in Pr2Sn2O7, providing a new framework for understanding disorder effects in non-Kramers pyrochlores.

Findings

Quantum spin-ice correlations observed below 1 K

Complete spin-freezing transition at 0.15 K

Emergence of a gapped magnetic excitation

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.