Speaker
Description
The quantum behavior of light nuclei and other particles in materials challenges classical intuition and introduces novel phenomena. Here we demonstrate that muon spin spectroscopy (μSR) is a powerful tool for exploring the quantum effects of light particles, such as the muon, in condensed matter. The muon’s quantum nature is profoundly influenced by the surrounding, offering a unique probe for understanding the role of light atoms and their role in shaping local electronic environments. In Zn-barlowite, a candidate quantum spin liquid, we show [1] that standard density functional theory (DFT) methods, which treat the muon as a classical point-like particle, fail to capture its strong quantum anharmonic effects. Only by modeling the muon as a spatially extended quantum particle, thus accounting for the anharmonicity can the experimental μSR data be understood. This approach not only improves the interpretation of μSR results but also opens the door to studying the quantum effects of other light particles, like hydrogen and lithium nuclei, which can greatly influence material properties.
[1] Fabian Hotz, Matjaž Gomilšek, Tina Arh, Andrej Zorko, Hubertus Luetkens, arXiv:2408.00185
| hubertus.luetkens@psi.ch |
