Quantum annealing of a frustrated magnet

Yuqian Zhao, Zhaohua Ma, Zhangzhen He, Haijun Liao, Yan-Cheng Wang (), Junfeng Wang and Yuesheng Li ()
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Yuqian Zhao: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Zhaohua Ma: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Zhangzhen He: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Haijun Liao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yan-Cheng Wang: Beihang University
Junfeng Wang: Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Yuesheng Li: Huazhong University of Science and Technology

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Quantum annealing, which involves quantum tunnelling among possible solutions, has state-of-the-art applications not only in quickly finding the lowest-energy configuration of a complex system, but also in quantum computing. Here we report a single-crystal study of the frustrated magnet α-CoV2O6, consisting of a triangular arrangement of ferromagnetic Ising spin chains without evident structural disorder. We observe quantum annealing phenomena resulting from time-reversal symmetry breaking in a tiny transverse field. Below ~ 1 K, the system exhibits no indication of approaching the lowest-energy state for at least 15 hours in zero transverse field, but quickly converges towards that configuration with a nearly temperature-independent relaxation time of ~ 10 seconds in a transverse field of ~ 3.5 mK. Our many-body simulations show qualitative agreement with the experimental results, and suggest that a tiny transverse field can profoundly enhance quantum spin fluctuations, triggering rapid quantum annealing process from topological metastable Kosterlitz-Thouless phases, at low temperatures.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47819-y

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