Chemical disorder on magnetic ground state selection

The purpose of this PhD studentship is to unravel the effect of chemical disorder on the magnetic ground state selection in YbMgGaO4, and thus its importance to the QSL state. The student will seek and explore new, cation-ordered derivatives to substitute onto the Mg2+/Ga3+ sites. By varying the ionic charge and stoichiometry of the cations, the student will aim to
force the disordered Mg2+/Ga3+ layers into an ordered structure and thus to reveal the intrinsic physics of the frustrated quantum magnetic layers of YbO6 octahedra. The project will involve the combination and development of computer-aided materials design, high-throughput inorganic materials synthesis, and neutron and X-ray scattering measurements. The student will benefit from the recently-opened Materials Innovation Factory at the University of Liverpool, and will use state-of-the-art experimental apparatus at large-scale neutron and synchrotron facilities.