Quantum effects on pyrochlore higher-rank U(1) spin liquids: pinch-line singularities, spin nematics, and connections to oxide materials

Abstract: Motivated by the magnetism of pyrochlore oxides, we consider the effect of quantum fluctuations in the most general symmetry-allowed nearest-neighbor Kramers exchange Hamiltonian on the pyrochlore lattice. At the classical level, this Hamiltonian exhibits a rich landscape of classical spin liquids and a variety of non-conventional magnetic phases. In contrast, much remains unclear for the quantum model, where quantum fluctuations have the potential to alter the classical landscape and stabilize novel magnetic phases. Employing state-of-the-art pseudo-fermion functional renormalization group (pf-FRG) calculations for the spin-$1/2$ model, we determine the quantum phase diagram at relevant cross-sections, where the classical model hosts an algebraic nodal rank-2 spin liquid and a spin nematic order. We find large regions in parameter space where dipolar magnetic order is absent and, based on known fingerprints in the correlation functions, suggest that this non-conventional region is composed of an ensemble of distinct phases stabilized by quantum fluctuations. Our results hint at the existence of a spin nematic phase, and we identify the quantum analogue of the classical rank-2 spin liquid. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of assessing the subtle interplay of quantum and thermal fluctuations in reconciling the experimental findings on the nature of magnetic order in Yb$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$.