Abstract:
Quantum spin liquid represents one of the simplest examples of topologically or quantum-ordered phases of matter, characterized by the presence of fractionalized quasiparticles and emergent gauge fields. Significant theoretical and experimental efforts have been devoted to realizing quantum spin liquid phases in real materials. However, despite these extensive efforts, there is currently no universally accepted system in which a quantum spin liquid phase has been unequivocally identified.
Recent experimental studies on pyrochlore magnets, however, may have provided compelling evidence for a three-dimensional quantum spin liquid, referred to as quantum spin ice. This phase is believed to give rise to emergent quantum electrodynamics, featuring fractionalized quasiparticles known as spinons and emergent photons. Following a general introduction to the theory of quantum spin liquids, I will outline the latest theoretical advancements in the study of quantum spin ice and discuss its implications for the remarkable experimental findings of recent years.