CsNiCrF6: using muons to probe multiple Coulomb phases

Coulomb phases emerge from highly frustrated materials, and have the property that local constraints (on, for example, charge states or spin orientations) can be mathematically represented as a divergence-free ‘flux’. CsNiCrF6 is a pyrochlore which has two different B-site ions in different charge states, which contributes to this compound having three different Coulomb phases. This has been measured before with neutrons, but we suspect that muons will form F--mu--F states in these materials, and will be affected by the spin fluctuations in a unique way. This will enable us to uncover more information about the magnetic fluctuations from a local perspective, shining more light on the nature of the Coulomb phases in this material.

库仑相（Coulomb phases）源于高度受挫材料（highly frustrated materials），其特性在于局部约束（例如对电荷态或自旋取向的约束）可在数学上表示为无散的“通量”。CsNiCrF6是一种烧绿石（pyrochlore），其B位含有两种不同电荷态的离子，这使得该化合物具有三种不同的库仑相。此前已通过中子对其进行过测量，但我们推测μ子（muons）会在这些材料中形成F-μ-F态，并以独特方式受自旋涨落影响。这将使我们能够从局域视角揭示更多关于磁涨落的信息，进一步阐明该材料中库仑相的本质。