The search for a gapless spin liquid phase has raised many issues in quantum antiferromagnetism. Here we review recent developments in this field, and in particular address questions and controversies surrounding a proposed “spin nematic” state.
Spin nematics are magnets with long-range tensor order in the absence of a sublattice magnetization; the formation of this novel spin state has been studied within the new quantum fluids perspective of magnetism. Here this recent work on spin nematics is reviewed, and experimental signatures and a candidate system are discussed.
The authors apply a Schwinger boson scheme for quantum helimagnets to the two-dimensional triangular lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet. Fluctuations are shown to lead to biaxial behaviour and the generation of an additional longitudinal Goldstone mode that appears as a pole in the longitudinal magnetic susceptibility.
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