arXiv subjects

P. Bouillot

Publications and source records attributed to P. Bouillot.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Magnetic and phononic dynamics in the two-ladder quantum magnet (C5H9NH3)2CuBr4

In quantum magnetic materials it is common to observe both static and dynamic lattice effects on the magnetic excitation spectrum. Less common is to find that the magnetic correlations have a significant impact on the phonon spectrum. Can such an interplay occur in a structurally soft system with comparable elastic and magnetic energy scales? Here we study the metal-organic material (C5H9NH3)2CuBr4 (Cu-CPA), in which an explanation of the low-lying excitations depends crucially on a full understanding of both the spin and lattice subsystems. We report high-resolution neutron spectroscopy enabled by large, deuterated single-crystals that reveal how both sectors are affected by the recently discovered structural phase transition. By measuring over several Brillouin zones, we disentangle the vibrational contribution to the spectrum in order to obtain an accurate estimate of the quasi-one-dimensional magnetic signal. The low-energy magnetic excitations are dominated by two gaps, $\Delta$ b = 0.41 meV and $\Delta$ a = 0.55 meV, which contribute with equal intensity ratios, confirming that Cu-CPA realizes a two-ladder spin Hamiltonian, and we deduce the magnetic interaction parameters of both ladders. The phonon spectrum contains a highly localized mode at an anomalously low-energy around 2 meV. This characteristic frequency drops by approximately 5 percent as magnetic correlations become established with decreasing temperature, and we connect this behavior with the location and structure of the cyclopentylammonium rings.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Bound states and field-polarized Haldane modes in a quantum spin ladder

The challenge of one-dimensional systems is to understand their physics beyond the level of known elementary excitations. By high-resolution neutron spectroscopy in a quantum spin ladder material, we probe the leading multiparticle excitation by characterizing the two-magnon bound state at zero field. By applying high magnetic fields, we create and select the singlet (longitudinal) and triplet (transverse) excitations of the fully spin-polarized ladder, which have not been observed previously and are close analogs of the modes anticipated in a polarized Haldane chain. Theoretical modelling of the dynamical response demonstrates our complete quantitative understanding of these states.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Spin ladders and quantum simulators for Luttinger liquids

Magnetic insulators have proven to be usable as quantum simulators for itinerant interacting quantum systems. In particular the compound (C$_{5}$H$_{12}$N)$_{2}$CuBr$_{4}$ (short (Hpip)$_{2}$CuBr$_{4}$) was shown to be a remarkable realization of a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) and allowed to quantitatively test the TLL theory. Substitution weakly disorders this class of compounds and allows thus to use them to tackle questions pertaining to the effect of disorder in TLL as well, such as the formation of the Bose glass. As a first step in this direction we present in this paper a study of the properties of the related (Hpip)$_{2}$CuCl$_{4}$ compound. We determine the exchange couplings and compute the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the specific heat, using a finite temperature Density Matrix Renormalization group (DMRG) procedure. Comparison with the measured specific heat at zero magnetic field confirms the exchange parameters and Hamiltonian for the (Hpip)$_{2}$CuCl$_{4}$ compound, giving the basis needed to start studying the disorder effects.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Spectrum of a magnetized strong-leg quantum spin ladder

Inelastic neutron scattering is used to measure the spin excitation spectrum of the Heisenberg $S=1/2$ ladder material (C$_7$H$_10$N)$_2$CuBr$_4$ in its entirety, both in the gapped spin-liquid and the magnetic field induced Tomonaga-Luttinger spin liquid regimes. A fundamental change of the spin dynamics is observed between these two regimes. DMRG calculations quantitatively reproduce and help understand the observed commensurate and incommensurate excitations. The results validate long-standing quantum field theoretical predictions, but also test the limits of that approach.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Symmetric and asymmetric excitations of a strong-leg quantum spin ladder

The zero-field excitation spectrum of the strong-leg spin ladder (C$_7$H$_10$N)$_2$CuBr$_4$ (DIMPY) is studied with a neutron time-of-flight technique. The spectrum is decomposed into its symmetric and asymmetric parts with respect to the rung momentum and compared with theoretical results obtained by the density matrix renormalization group method. Additionally, the calculated dynamical correlations are shown for a wide range of rung and leg coupling ratios in order to point out the evolution of arising excitations, as e.g. of the two-magnon bound state from the strong to the weak coupling limit.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Spectral and thermodynamic properties of a strong-leg quantum spin ladder

The strong-leg S=1/2 Heisenberg spin ladder system (C7H10N)2CuBr4 is investigated using Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) calculations, inelastic neutron scattering, and bulk magneto-thermodynamic measurements. Measurements showed qualitative differences compared to the strong-rung case. A long-lived two-triplon bound state is confirmed to persist across most of the Brillouin zone in zero field. In applied fields, in the Tomonaga-Luttinger spin liquid phase, elementary excitations are attractive, rather than repulsive. In the presence of weak inter-ladder interactions, the strong-leg system is considerably more prone to 3-dimensional ordering.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Field-Controlled Magnetic Order in the Quantum Spin-Ladder System (Hpip)2CuBr4

Neutron diffraction is used to investigate the field-induced, antiferromagnetically ordered state in the two-leg spin-ladder material (Hpip)2CuBr4. This "classical" phase, a consequence of weak interladder coupling, is nevertheless highly unconventional: its properties are influenced strongly by the spin Luttinger-liquid state of the ladder subunits. We determine directly the order parameter (transverse magnetization), the ordering temperature, the spin structure, and the critical exponents around the transition. We introduce a minimal, microscopic model for the interladder coupling and calculate the quantum fluctuation corrections to the mean-field interaction.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Thermodynamics of the Spin Luttinger-Liquid in a Model Ladder Material

The phase diagram in temperature and magnetic field of the metal-organic, two-leg, spin-ladder compound (C5H12N)2CuBr4 is studied by measurements of the specific heat and the magnetocaloric effect. We demonstrate the presence of an extended spin Luttinger-liquid phase between two field-induced quantum critical points and over a broad range of temperature. Based on an ideal spin-ladder Hamiltonian, comprehensive numerical modelling of the ladder specific heat yields excellent quantitative agreement with the experimental data across the complete phase diagram.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

Controlling Luttinger liquid physics in spin ladders under a magnetic field

We present a 14N nuclear magnetic resonance study of a single crystal of CuBr4(C5H12N)2 (BPCB) consisting of weakly coupled spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic ladders. Treating ladders in the gapless phase as Luttinger liquids, we are able to fully account for (i) the magnetic field dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T_1 at 250 mK and for (ii) the phase transition to a 3D ordered phase occuring below 110 mK due to weak interladder exchange coupling. BPCB is thus an excellent model system where the possibility to control Luttinger liquid parameters in a continuous manner is demonstrated and Luttinger liquid model tested in detail over the whole fermion band.

cond-mat.str-el↗