U(1) quantum spin liquids in dipolar-octupolar pyrochlore magnets: a fermionic parton approach

Abstract

We study the uniform $U(1)$ quantum spin liquid (QSL) with low-energy fermionic quasiparticles for pyrochlore magnets with dipolar-octupolar symmetry, employing a fermionic parton mean field theory approach. Self-consistent calculations stabilize 12 fully symmetric uniform $U(1)$ QSLs; of which four mean-field states are "monopole-flux" states. Several of these mean-field states show a linear temperature dependence of specific heat at low temperatures; the other phases show a power law temperature dependence of specific heat $C \sim T^\alpha$, where $\alpha $ is close to 1. We further compute the dynamic spin structure factors and discuss the possible signature of these fermionic spinons in neutron-scattering experiments on DO magnetic systems. Our results provide a possible way to understand the metallic specific heat response in $Nd_2 Sc Nb O_7$.