Quantum kagome frustrated antiferromagnets: One route to quantum spin liquids

Abstract

After introducing the field of Highly Frustrated Magnetism through the quest for a quantum spin liquid in dimension higher than one, we focus on the emblematic case of the kagome network. From a theoretical point of view, the simple Heisenberg case for an antiferromagnetic kagome lattice decorated with quantum spins has been a long-standing problem, not solved yet. Experimental realizations have remained scarce for long until the discovery of herbertsmithite ZnCu 3 (OH) 6 Cl 2 in 2005. This is one of the very few quantum kagome spin liquid candidates that triggered a burst of activity both on theory and experiment sides. We give a survey of theory outcomes on the “kagome” problem, review the experimental properties of that model candidate and shortly discuss them with respect to recent theoretical results.