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Algebraic Loop Liquid in the Pyrochlore CsNiCrF6

A. Hemmatzade1,*, C. Balz2,†, J. Ollivier3, E. Lhotel4, N. Colonna5, A. dos Santos Rufino6, G. J. Nilsen2, Ø. S. Fjellvåg1,7, M. Medarde1 et al.

S. T. Bramwell8, M. J. Harris9, P. M. Derlet5,‡, and T. Fennell1,§

  • *Present Address: Pasargad Institute for Advanced Innovative Solutions (PIAIS), Tehran, 19395-5531, Iran.
  • †Present address: European Spallation Source ERIC, SE 21100 Lund, Sweden.
  • ‡Contact author: peter.derlet@psi.ch
  • §Contact author: tom.fennell@psi.ch
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 106701 – Published 13 March, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/xvxt-whns

Abstract

The β-pyrochlore CsNiCrF6 is a charge ice—each tetrahedron of the pyrochlore lattice is occupied by two Ni2+ and two Cr3+ according to an ice rule, resulting in fully packed same-species loops with power-law length distribution. Using inelastic neutron scattering and numerical simulations, we show that the spin dynamics can be well described by a model with three antiferromagnetic interaction strengths, one for Ni–Ni, Cr–Ni, and Cr–Cr interactions. Because the strengths of the two intraloop interactions are quite different, the fluctuations of each type of loop can be identified in the spectrum. CsNiCrF6 therefore forms an algebraic loop liquid in which power-law cation correlations control the spin dynamics. Our parameters predict a transition to spin nematic order with associated arrest of dynamics at Tn≈0.55  K, while we observe a freezing transition at Tf=2.3  K. Measurements of magnetization, ac, and nonlinear susceptibility show that this is not a canonical spin glass transition so we associate it with the development of slow dynamics due to interloop nematic correlations.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 106701– Published 13 March, 2026
  • Received 3 December 2024
  • Revised 8 December 2025
  • Accepted 22 January 2026
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