Making quantum matter - synthesis and study of quantum spin liquids

Project ID: 2228cd1377 (You will need this ID for your application)

UCL Lead department: Chemistry

Project Summary:

The discovery in 1984 of high-temperature superconductivity in oxide materials by Bednorz and Müller opened science to the remarkable and unconventional properties that can emerge from collective quantum electronic effects. In recent years, research into the growing field of quantum materials has been dominated by understanding quantum entanglement - the key enabler of quantum computers and information technologies.
Among the most sought after systems for study are the quantum spin liquids (QSLs). These are an exceptional class of materials in which the geometry of the bonding between S=1/2 ions (e.g. Cu2+) suppresses magnetic order, even at absolute zero temperature. The small size of the spins in a QSL leads to strong zero-point quantum fluctuations that drive the electronic system between a vast number of degenerate states, resulting in a highly entangled quantum ground state. Examples of such densely entangled quantum matter are extremely rare and are of great importance for developing future quantum technologies. However, our understanding of these new forms of quantum state remains held back by the small number of known materials available for study. This project will involve the synthesis and study of inorganic materials that we have identified as candidate QSLs. As well as using the well equipped synthesis and X-ray crystallography labs at UCL, we will take advantage of the excellent neutron scattering resources available to the UK, ISIS (in Oxfordshire) and the Institut Laue Langevin (Grenoble, France), to analyze the crystallography, magnetic properties and the excitation spectra. This project will help us understand the effects of quantum entanglement and to unlock the technological potential of exotic quantum states. The ideal candidate will be an experimentalist with a degree in chemistry, physics, or materials science who wants to develop a rich range of skills in materials characterization and experience of working across physics/chemistry.