Low energy magnetic spectrum of the octupolar-dipolar quantum spin liquid candidate Sm2Zr2O7

A relatively unexplored source of novel states in Rare Earth pyrochlore is predicted in the “Dipolar-octupolar” pyrochlores R2M2O7 (R=Ce, Sm, Nd; M=Zr, Hf, Ti, Sn, Pb). Of this family, Ce2Sn2O7 and Ce2Zr2O7 have been highlighted recently as showing evidence of quantum spin liquid physics with neutron scattering results for Ce2Zr2O7 bear ing encouraging similarity to predictions for a U(1) quantum spin liquid. Here we wish to perform the first exploration of the low energy magnetic excitations of another octupolar-dipolar quantum spin liquid candidate, namely Sm2Zr2O7.