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Welcome to the Neutron Scattering Group!
We are an experimental group that uses neutron scattering techniques combined with other probes such as X-ray scattering and transport to conduct cutting-edge research on quantum materials, including high-Tc superconductors, quantum spin liquids, and topological materials. Our scattering experiments are carried out at neutron and light sources overseas. At Nanjing University, we maintain a lab where we grow single crystals and perform characterizations. Please contact Prof. Wen by his email jwen@nju.edu.cn for any questions or collaboration opportunities. We look forward to your joining us! |
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2025-12-31 Happy New Year!
Happy New Year 2026! May this year be abundant in harvests, rich in achievements, smooth in journeys, and bright with hope. |
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2025-07-12 Disorder-induced spin excitation continuum and spin-glass ground state in the inverse spinel CuGa2O4
Our group published a paper with the same title in Physical Review B, reporting the discovery of a disorder-induced spin excitation continuum and a spin-glass ground state in the inverse spinel compound CuGa2O4 [Phys. Rev. B 112, 035128 (2025)]. This work is a result of collaboration among researchers from our School of Physics, Hubei Normal University, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. CuGa2O4 belongs to the AB2O4 spinel family, a group of compounds known for their highly frustrated structures and potential to host exotic magnetic states. In this study, we performed comprehensive measurements including neutron scattering, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat to investigate its low-temperature magnetic properties. Remarkably, no long-range magnetic order was detected down to 80 mK, and inelastic neutron scattering revealed a broad gapless continuum of magnetic excitations around the Brillouin zone boundary, resembling the magnetic excitation spectra expected for a quantum spin liquid. Nevertheless, a spin-freezing transition at Tf ≈ 0.88 K is identified from the cusp in the dc susceptibility curves, where a bifurcation between zero-field-cooling and field-cooling curves occurs. Furthermore, ac susceptibility measurements show a peak close to Tf at low frequency, which shifts to higher temperature with increasing frequency. These signatures are hallmarks of a spin-glass state, where the magnetic moments become frozen in a disordered configuration with strong antisite disorder between Cu2+ and Ga3+ ions. These results show that CuGa2O4 has a spin-glass ground state, consistent with the establishment of short-range order inferred from the specific-heat measurements. This study emphasizes that disorder can mimic features of quantum spin liquids and plays a crucial role in shaping spin dynamics in frustrated systems. Our findings not only advance the understanding of disorder effects in spinel compounds but also provide a new perspective on how to design and explore quantum magnets. |
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2025-04-24 Magnetically disordered ground state in the triangular-lattice antiferromagnets Rb3Yb(VO4)2 and Cs3Yb(VO4)2
Our group published a paper entitled “Magnetically disordered ground state in the triangular-lattice antiferromagnets Rb3Yb(VO4)2 and Cs3Yb(VO4)2” in Physical Review B [Phys. Rev. B 111, 155141 (2025)] in collaboration with the group led by our group alumni Prof. Zhen Ma at Hubei Normal University. Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) represent a unique quantum state of matter that hosts long-range quantum entanglement and fractional excitations. However, structural disorder resulting from site mixing between different types of ions usually arises in real QSL candidates, which is considered to be an obstacle to gaining insights into the intrinsic physics. In this work, we have synthesized two new rare-earth compounds Rb3Yb(VO4)2 and Cs3Yb(VO4)2. X-ray diffractions reveal a perfect triangular-lattice structure with no detectable disorder. Magnetic susceptibility measurements do not capture any phase transition or spin freezing down to 1.8 K. Specific-heat results show no sign of long-range magnetic order down to ∼0.1 K, but only a Schottky anomaly that is continuously mediated by the external magnetic fields. Additionally, inelastic neutron scattering is employed to detect low-energy spin excitations in Rb3Yb(VO4)2. The absence of magnetic excitation signals as well as static magnetic order down to 97 mK aligns with the results from magnetic susceptibility and specific heat. Collectively, these findings point to a quantum disordered ground state and provide a promising platform for further exploration of quantum magnetism in this pristine disorder-free system. |
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2025-02-05 Significant chiral magnetotransport magnified by multiple Weyl nodes.
Our group, in collaboration with Professor Rui Wang, has published a paper entitled "Significant chiral magnetotransport magnified by multiple Weyl nodes" in Physical Review B [Phys. Rev. B 111, 045163 (2025)]. The intertwining of magnetism with topology is known to give rise to exotic quantum phenomena. In this work, we explore the magnetotransport properties of NdAlSi, a magnetic Weyl semimetal that spontaneously breaks inversion and time-reversal symmetries and hosts a large number of Weyl nodes. We observe a significant negative magnetoresistance, which we attribute to the chiral anomaly associated with multiple Weyl nodes. Remarkably, the extracted chiral coefficient reaches approximately 52 mΩ−1 m−1 T−2, larger than many other topological materials. Additionally, we observe an exotic anomalous Hall effect with an out-of-sync behavior, where the anomalous Hall resistance does not exactly follow the field dependence of the magnetization, in contrast to that in conventional ferromagnets. These rich quantum transport phenomena, driven by the interplay between magnetism and Weyl nodes, establish NdAlSi as a prime platform for exploring the intricate topological behaviors of magnetic Weyl semimetals. |
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2025-01-15 Magnetic interactions in the polar ferrimagnet Mn2Mo3O8 with a bipartite structure.
Our group published a paper entitled "Magnetic interactions in the polar ferrimagnet Mn2Mo3O8 with a bipartite structure" in Physical Review B [Phys. Rev. B 111, 024407 (2025)]. The polar magnets A2Mo3O8 (A = Fe, Mn, Co, and Ni) feature a bipartite structure, where the magnetic A2+ ions occupy two different sites with octahedral and tetrahedral oxygen coordination. This bipartite structure provides a platform for the emergence of nontrivial magnetoelectric effects and intriguing excitation behaviors, and thus stimulates significant research interest. In this work, we conduct inelastic neutron scattering measurements on single crystals of Mn2Mo3O8, an L-type ferrimagnet of the A2Mo3O8 family, to investigate its spin dynamics. The obtained magnetic excitation spectra reveal two distinct magnon branches corresponding to the octahedral and tetrahedral spins in Mn2Mo3O8. These magnon bands can be well described by a spin Hamiltonian including Heisenberg and single-ion anisotropy terms. Employing our effective spin model, we successfully reproduce the unusual temperature dependence of the L-type ferrimagnetic susceptibility through self-consistent mean-field theory. Our research reveals the significance of the bipartite structure in determining the excitation properties of the polar magnets A2Mo3O8 and provides valuable insights into the spin dynamics of L-type ferrimagnets. |
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2024-12-31 Happy New Year!
Happy New Year 2025! May this year bring you endless joy, success, and good health! Let’s embrace the future with hope, courage, and boundless possibilities! |
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2024-10-28 Absence of Altermagnetic Spin Splitting Character in Rutile Oxide RuO2
Our research group, in collaboration with Professor Dawei Shen from the University of Science and Technology of China, has published a PRL paper on RuO₂, a candidate material of altermagnetism [Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 176401 (2024)]. Altermagnetism, a novel magnetic ordering state described based on spin space groups rather than magnetic space groups, has recently been theoretically predicted and has garnered significant attention. It is characterized by unconventional antiferromagnetic-like magnetic order with zero net magnetization, while exhibiting ferromagnetic-like-split energy bands. These features endow altermagnets with great potential for applications in spintronic devices. RuO₂ was previously considered to be one of the most promising candidate materials for altermagnetism. In this work, we investigate the electronic structure of RuO₂ to explore whether it is an altermagnet or not. We grew high-quality RuO₂ single crystals. Utilizing spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, our collaborators find that the band structure of RuO₂ indeed aligns with the non-magnetic ground state. Meanwhile, we identify anomalous in-plane polarization of the low-lying bulk bands that contradict the d-wave symmetry predicted for altermagnetism. These findings challenge the altermagnetic order previously proposed for RuO₂, prompting a reevaluation of its magnetic properties. |
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2024-06-08 Spin and lattice dynamics in the van der Waals antiferromagnet MnPSe3
Our group published a paper entitled "Spin and lattice dynamics in the van der Waals antiferromagnet MnPSe3" in Physical Review B [Phys. Rev. B 109, 224411 (2024)]. MnPSe3 is a member of the antiferromagnetic van der Waals family MPX3 (where M can be Fe, Mn, Co, or Ni, and X can be S or Se). In our study, we performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements on single-crystal samples of MnPSe3 to investigate the spin dynamics and determine the effective spin model. The magnon bands observed are well-described by a spin model that includes a Heisenberg term with three intraplane exchange parameters (J1=−0.73 meV, J2=−0.014 meV, J3=−0.43 meV) and one interplane exchange parameter (Jc=−0.054 meV), along with an easy-plane single-ion anisotropy term (D=−0.035 meV). Additionally, we observed the intersection of magnon and phonon bands. However, in the intersecting region, no anomalous spectral features indicating the formation of magnon-phonon hybrid excitations were detected. This work provides comprehensive characterizations on the spin and lattice dynamics in this material. |
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2024-04-24 Possible gapless quantum spin liquid behavior in the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet PrMgAl11O19
Our group published a paper entitled “Possible gapless quantum spin liquid behavior in the triangular-lattice Ising antiferromagnet PrMgAl11O19” in PRB [Phys. Rev. B 109, 165143 (2024)] in collaboration with the group led by our group alumni Prof. Zhen Ma at Hubei Normal University. Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) represent a novel state where spins are highly entangled but do not order even at zero temperature due to strong quantum fluctuations. Such a state is mostly studied in Heisenberg models defined on geometrically frustrated lattices. In this work, we turn to a new triangular-lattice antiferromagnet PrMgAl11O19, in which the interactions are believed to be of Ising type. Magnetic susceptibility measured with an external field along the c axis is two orders of magnitude larger than that with a field in the a-b plane, showcasing an ideal easy-axis behavior. Meanwhile, there is neither magnetic phase transition nor spin freezing observed down to 1.8 K. Ultralow-temperature specific heat measured down to 50 mK does not capture any phase transition either, but a hump at 4.5 K, below which the magnetic specific heat exhibits a quasiquadratic temperature dependence that is consistent with a Dirac QSL state. Inelastic neutron scattering experiments reveal a gapless broad continuum of low-energy magnetic excitation at the base temperature 55 mK, in favor of the realization of a gapless QSL. These results provide a scarce example for the QSL behaviors observed in an Ising-type magnet, which can serve as a promising platform for future research on QSL physics based on an Ising model. |
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2024-01-30 Microscopic origin of the spin-reorientation transition in the kagome topological magnet TbMn6Sn6
Our group published a paper with the same title in Physical Review B, reporting the observation of magnetic excitations in a kagome topological magnet TbMn6Sn6 [Phys. Rev. B 109, 014434 (2024)]. The collaborative effort involved researchers from our School of Physics, as well as those from Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Zhejiang University. TbMn6Sn6, a correlated topological magnet featuring a Mn-based kagome lattice, exhibits a fascinating Chern gap opening at the Dirac point at low temperatures. In this study, we employed neutron scattering techniques to delve into the spin-reorientation transition in TbMn6Sn6. We find the coexistence of two Tb modes at 200 K, which can be understood using a model based on the SU(N) spin-wave theory. This model takes into account the temperature-dependent evolution of the ground state Tb 4f orbitals, influenced by factors such as crystalline electric field, single-ion anisotropy, and exchange interactions between Tb and Mn ions. The interplay leads to a change of the Tb 4f ground state and drives the spin-reorientation transition in TbMn6Sn6. Notably, our work highlights the similarity between the coupling of localized Tb 4f moments and itinerant Mn d electrons with the widely-discussed Kondo effect in heavy fermion systems where the Kondo physics is purely dominated by f electrons. Building on our recent exploration of the Kondo effect in d-electron systems [Phys. Rev. X 12, 011022(2022)], this study broadens the applicability of Kondo physics to various classes of condensed matter systems. The intricate interplay of factors in TbMn6Sn6 successfully explain the spin-reorientation transition and underscores the versatility of Kondo physics in diverse condensed matter phenomena. |
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2023-12-31 Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all! Cheers to a brand new year filled with endless possibilities and exciting adventures! |
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2023-09-30 Topological magnon polarons in Fe2Mo3O8
Our group published a paper entitled “Direct observation of topological magnon polarons in a multiferroic material” in Nature Communications [Nat. Commun. 14, 6093 (2023)] in collaboration with Prof. Jian-Xin Li’s group at our School of Physics. Magnons and phonons, quanta of spin waves and lattice vibrations respectively, constitute two fundamental collective excitations in ordered magnets. When these two entities are strongly coupled, intriguing collective excitations known as magnon polarons can emerge. They possess hybrid magnonic and phononic signatures, and are responsible for many exotic spintronic and magnonic phenomena. They can provide a phonon-involved way to generate and manipulate spin currents carried by magnons thanks to their hybrid nature, signifying promising potentials in spintronics technology. Despite long-term sustained experimental efforts in chasing for magnon polarons, direct spectroscopic evidence of their existence is hardly observed. In this work, we report the direct observation of magnon polarons using neutron spectroscopy on a multiferroic Fe2Mo3O8. We unambiguously identify two distinct hallmarks of magnon polarons: the appearance of a gap at the nominal intersection of the original magnon and phonon bands, along with mixing, interconverting and reversing between the magnonic and phononic components. We attribute the formation of magnon polarons to the strong magnon-phonon coupling induced by Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Intriguingly, we find that the band-inverted magnon polarons are topologically nontrivial. These results uncover exotic elementary excitations arising from the magnon-phonon coupling, and offer a new route to topological states by considering hybridizations between different types of fundamental excitations. Our work, in conjunction with our recent publication in Nature Physics [Nat. Phys. 19, 1868 (2023)], underscores the emergence of novel phenomena driven by the strong magnon-phonon coupling. More details can be found here. |
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2023-09-26 Our group’s second paper in Nature Physics
Our group published a paper entitled “A one-third magnetization plateau phase as evidence for the Kitaev interaction in a honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnet” in Nature Physics [Nat. Phys. 19, 1883 (2023)] in collaboration with Prof. Jian-Xin Li’s group at our School of Physics, and Prof. Wei Li’s group at Institute of Theoretical Physics, CAS. Frustration plays an essential role in quantum magnets. The frustration-induced quantum fluctuation could avoid the formation of ordered magnetic ground states, and lead to magnetically disordered phases such as the quantum spin liquids. On the other hand, the quantum fluctuation can lift the degeneracy of the ground state and select a specific spin state within a finite range of external magnetic field; this gives rise to an exotic magnetization plateau phase in which the magnetization is a fraction of its saturation value. Since frustration is a prerequisite for the fractional magnetization plateau phase, whether it will occur in a genuine honeycomb lattice in which geometrical frustration as that occurs in triangular and Kagome lattices is absent, and how to understand it if it does occur, remain outstanding questions. In this work, we report comprehensive thermodynamic and neutron scattering measurements on high-quality single crystals of the spin-1 honeycomb-lattice antiferromagnet Na3Ni2BiO6. We show that the magnetization curve has a definite plateau at 1/3 of the saturation magnetization between 5.2 and 7.4 T at 2 K. By performing elastic neutron scattering measurements, we obtain complete contour maps for the magnetic Bragg peaks in the (H, K, 0) plane in zero field and in the plateau phase. By comparing experimental results with calculations, we propose the microscopic magnetic configuration of the 1/3 magnetization plateau phase to be a zero-up-zero-down-up-up (○↑○↓↑↑) ferrimagnetic state. Our density-functional-theory and tensor-network calculations show that a minimal model with Heisenberg exchange couplings J, a bond-dependent anisotropic Kitaev interaction K and a single-ion anisotropy term D can well explain the experimental observations. In particular, the Kitaev interaction, which was demonstrated to exist in α-RuCl3 in our early work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 107203 (2017)], leads to the exchange frustration and stabilizes the one-third-plateau phase. This work not only extends the study of the fractional magnetization plateau phase to honeycomb-lattice compounds which conventionally do not exhibit geometrical frustrations, but also expands the territory of quantum magnets that host Kitaev physics from S = 1/2 to higher-spin systems. More details can be found here. |
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2023-09-15 Paper on Fe2Mo3O8 published in Nature Physics
Our group published a paper entitled “Fluctuation-enhanced phonon magnetic moments in a polar antiferromagnet” in Nature Physics [Nat. Phys. 19, 1868 (2023)] in collaboration with Prof. Qi Zhang’s group at our School of Physics. Phonons are the quasiparticles of collective lattice excitations that may carry finite angular momenta, but commonly exhibit negligible magnetic moments. A large phonon magnetic moment enables the direct mutual control of magnetic orders and lattice motions, and could be applied to develop spin–phononic devices. Despite reports of large phonon magnetic moments in some non-magnetic and paramagnetic systems, such phenomena have not yet been discovered in magnetically ordered systems. Furthermore, the roles of many-body correlations and fluctuations in phonon magnetism remain unclear. In this work, combining magneto-Raman spectroscopy and inelastic neutron scattering measurements on a polar antiferromagnet Fe2Mo3O8, we show that a pair of low-lying chiral phonons carry large magnetic moments (0.11μB). Additionally, we observe a sixfold enhancement in the phonon magnetic moment in the vicinity of the Néel temperature. A microscopic model based on the coupling between phonons and both magnons and paramagnons accounts for the experimental observations. These findings present a new paradigm in the study of phonon magnetism, where the many-body correlations, instead of single-particle interactions, play key roles. It further establishes Fe2Mo3O8 as an ideal platform for exploring phonon magnetism and developing hybrid phononic and spintronic devices. More details can be found here. |
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2023-04-27 Signatures of a gapless quantum spin liquid in a Kitaev material Na3Co2-xZnxSbO6
Our group published a paper entitled “Signatures of a gapless quantum spin liquid in a Kitaev material Na3Co2-xZnxSbO6” in PRB [Phys. Rev. B 107, 165143 (2023)] in collaboration with the group led by our group alumni Prof. Zhen Ma at Hubei Normal University. In our recent work, we have demonstrated the significant role of Zn doping in suppressing the magnetic order and inducing quantum paramagnetic behaviors in a 3d based Kitaev magnet Na2Co2TeO6 [Phys. Rev. Mater. 7, 014407 (2023)]. In this work, we show results associated with a gapless quantum spin liquid (QSL) in another Kitaev cobaltate Na3Co2-xZnxSbO6. X-ray diffraction characterizations reveal no structural transition but quite tiny changes on the lattice parameters over our substitution range 0≤x≤0.4. Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat results both show that antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition temperature is continuously suppressed with increasing Zn content x and neither long-range magnetic order nor spin freezing is observed when x≥0.2. More importantly, a linear term of the specific heat representing fermionic excitations is captured below 5 K in the magnetically disordered regime, as opposed to the Cm∝T3 behavior expected for bosonic excitations in the AFM state. These results indicate the presence of gapless fractional excitations in the samples with no magnetic order, evidencing a potential QSL state induced by doping in a Kitaev system. |
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2023-01-20 Suppression of the antiferromagnetic order by Zn doping in a possible Kitaev material Na2Co2TeO6
Our group published a paper entitled “Suppression of the antiferromagnetic order by Zn doping in a possible Kitaev material Na2Co2TeO6” in PRM [Phys. Rev. Mater. 7, 014407 (2023)] in collaboration with the group led by our group alumni Prof. Zhen Ma at Hubei Normal University. A 3d based honeycomb cobaltate Na2Co2TeO6 has attracted enormous attention due to the proposed proximity to the Kitaev spin-liquid state as its 4d/5d counterparts. In this work, we partially substitute magnetic Co2+ with nonmagnetic Zn2+ in Na2Co2TeO6 in an extensive range and perform structural, magnetic, and thermodynamic studies to investigate the doping evolution of the magnetic ground states. X-ray diffractions reveal no structural transition but only minor changes on the lattice parameter c over a wide substitution range 0≤x≤1.5. Magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements both show a suppression of long-range magnetic order with increasing zinc content. After x∼1.0, it develops into a spin-glass state with short-range order, which is rapidly supplanted by a magnetically disordered state when x≥1.3. These results explicitly track the evolution process of the magnetic ground states and establish a magnetic phase diagram of Na2Co2−xZnxTeO6. Zn doping may serve as a feasible way to enhance quantum fluctuations and induce quantum paramagnetic behaviors that may provide insights about the Kitaev physics. |
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2022-11-21 Works on α-RuCl3 won "Best Poster Prize" at the CPS Fall Meeting!
Earlier this year, our group published two papers reporting evidence of the fractional excitations for the Kitaev quantum-spin-liquid candidate α-RuCl3 in Chinese Physics Letters as Express Letters [CPL 39, 057501 (2022); CPL 39, 027501 (2022)]. Based on these results, Kejing Ran, former PhD student of the group and now working at ShanghaiTech, gave a poster presentation at the 2022 Chinese Physical Society's Fall Meeting held in Shenzhen. The poster entitled “Evidence for Magnetic Fractional Excitations in a Kitaev Quantum-Spin-Liquid Candidate” was awarded the "Best Poster Prize". Congratulations to Kejing and the group! |





























