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Quantum spin liquid ground state with the evidence of roton-like excitations at elevated temperatures in the triangular-lattice delafossite YbCuSe2

K. Bhattacharya1, Y. Tokiwa2, and M. Majumder1,*

  • *Contact author: mayukh.majumder@snu.edu.in

Phys. Rev. B 113, L220407 – Published 17 June, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3ft3-72ll

Abstract

We present a comprehensive experimental investigation of the temperature evolution of magnetic states in triangular-lattice delafossite YbCuSe2. Magnetization measurements on high-quality single crystals reveal easy-plane anisotropy. Specific heat, magnetization, and muon spin relaxation (µSR) establish the absence of magnetic order or spin freezing down to 0.03 K (≤Javg/250), demonstrating a dynamically fluctuating quantum spin liquid (QSL) ground state. Thermodynamic measurements uncover multiple characteristic energy scales at TH≈4.5K, TL≈1.8K, and T*≈0.7K. Below T*, µSR detects a dynamical phase separation in which the majority of the spins are forming a QSL state whereas the remaining spins form a sporadic, disorder-induced state decoupled from the dominant QSL component. Remarkably, the unconventional temperature dependence of the µSR relaxation rate indicates roton-like excitations emerging between TH and TL, a feature not previously observed in any QSL system, preceding the stabilization of the low-temperature QSL at 0.3 K. These findings identify YbCuSe2 as a unique QSL platform, providing valuable insights for further experimental and theoretical exploration.

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