Valence-Bonds and Molecular Magnetism in the frustrated cluster magnet LiZn2Mo3O8
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NMAT3329
http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v112/i2/e027202
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.89.064407
http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C4MH00166D
Science Magazine Highlight "Refusing to Order": http://www.sciencemag.org/content/336/6088/twil.full#compilation-1-6-article-title-1
Talk at KITP: http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/fragnets-c12/mcqueen/


Executive Summary

Emergence of complex behavior from simple components gives rise to the most spectacular and fascinating phenomena of the world around us, from the flocking of birds to life itself.

This emergence is also responsible for many of the most useful properties in materials, such as superconductivity (essential for devices like MRIs and cell towers). However, our understanding of the fundamental origins of these behaviors, and thus our ability to create and utilize such states, is currently limited.

Relevant to these manuscripts is that quantum fluctuations, i.e., dynamics driven by the wacky world of quantum mechanics, are thought to result in the emergence of collective electronic states that have the potential to be transformative in fields from energy harvesting to quantum computing.

These papers present the discovery of a new class of materials that provide unprecedented access to, and control over, emergent electronic behavior via the tunability of molecular magnetism -- more specifically, magnetism of small metal oxide clusters. Immediately, this is important in the quest for a new exotic state of matter called the spin-liquid state. More generally our results demonstrate a new strategy for the design and manipulation of large-scale quantum states.


For another (technical) viewpoint, listen to the discussion starting at 0:28:00 in the journal club video at http://online.kitp.ucsb.edu/online/fragnets12/journal/.