Quantum spin-liquid simulations could open door for superconductivity

Development teams from the Universities of Stuttgart and Würzburg, Germany told Nature Magazine that the discovery was made by placing electrons in a honeycomb crystal structure. A quantum spin-liquid is a non-magnetic Mott-insulator and stabilised purely by quantum mechanical effects. The electrons inside a quantum spin-liquid resist to order down to the lowest temperatures and down to -273^°C. This tendency to order is suppressed by dynamical fluctuations of the electrons even at zero absolute temperature. For this to happen, the quantum fluctuations must be sufficiently large, which until now has been difficult to replicate in models. The researchers have revealed that such a quantum spin-liquid now exists in a realistic model of interacting electrons. The team used large scale computer simulations in order to account for both the interactions between the electrons and their quantum fluctuations. According to the team, the quantum spin-liquid occurs in materials where atoms form a two dimensional periodic array of hexagons – a honeycomb lattice as found in Graphene. The physicists claim that if electronic interactions could be enhanced in such a material, then a quantum spin-liquid state could be achieved. Furthermore, the quantum spin-liquid could also be possible by using ultra-cold atoms. The mathematical model studied by the physicists describes both interacting electrons in solid state systems as well as interacting ultra-cold atoms in an optical lattice. They add that quantum spin-liquid can also be viewed as a starting point for superconductivity. Electric currents would flow without resistance through the material allowing the potential for ultra fast computers or the dissipation free transport of electricity.