Search

The search for quantum spin liquids (QSL) and chemical doping in such materials to explore superconductivity have continuously attracted intense interest. Here, we report the discovery of a potential QSL candidate, pyrochlore-lattice β-NaYbO 2 . Colorless and transparent NaYbO 2 single crystals, layered α-NaYbO 2 (∼250 μm on edge) and octahedral β-NaYbO 2 (∼50 μm on edge), were grown for the first time. Synchrotron X-ray single-crystal diffraction unambiguously determined that the newfound β-NaYbO 2 belongs to the three-dimensional pyrochlore structure characterized by the R 3̅ m space group, corroborated by synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and pair distribution function. Magnetic measurements revealed no long-range magnetic order or spin glass behavior down to 0.4 K with a low boundary spin frustration factor of 17.5, suggesting a potential QSL ground state. Under high magnetic fields, the potential QSL state was broken and spins order. Our findings reveal that NaYbO 2 is a fertile playground for studying novel quantum states.