Ryan Zhao, “Structural and Magnetic Properties of (Li1-xNax)4CuTeO6 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.7, and 1)”
Mentor: Min Gyu Kim, Physics
Poster #70

In a conventional magnetic material, the spins of electrons would all align in a fixed pattern, creating a magnetic field that can be observed experimentally. However, in a quantum spin liquid (QSL), the spins of electrons do not align in a fixed pattern and instead fluctuate even at very low temperatures. The study of QSL is important because they can have exotic and potentially useful properties, or being a potential platform for quantum computing. QSL are also interesting because they challenge our understanding of the behavior of matter at the quantum level. The study of QSL involves developing new theoretical tools and experimental techniques to understand and observe their properties. This research focuses on investigating the evolution of structural and magnetic properties of a series of compounds, (Li1-xNax)4CuTeO6, (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.7, and 1). The materials were synthesized using a solid-state reaction method. The crystal structure of the material was determined using X-ray diffraction, a powerful technique that provides information on the arrangement of atoms in a material. Our approach involves substituting Li for Na in the previously studied QSL candidate, Li₄CuTeO₆ (x = 0 ) to explore the effects of larger ion substitution on the QSL properties. Our synthesis and x-ray diffraction showed that we successfully grew the series of compounds, (Li1-xNax)4CuTeO6. Further, materials with x ≤ 0.7 do not show any magnetic order (QSL property) in magnetic susceptibility measurements. In this ongoing project, we are collaborating with other researchers and will publish these results in the near future.