Hidden order in spin-liquid Gd ₃ Ga ₅ O ₁₂

Abstract

Frustrated magnetic materials are promising candidates for new states of matter because lattice geometry suppresses conventional magnetic dipole order, potentially allowing "hidden" order to emerge in its place. A model of a hidden-order state at the atomic scale is difficult to deduce because microscopic probes are not directly sensitive to hidden order. Here, we develop such a model of the spin-liquid state in the canonical frustrated magnet gadolinium gallium garnet (Gd3Ga5O12). We show that this state exhibits a long-range hidden order in which multipoles are formed from 10-spin loops. The order is a consequence of the interplay between antiferromagnetic spin correlations and local magnetic anisotropy, which allows it to be indirectly observed in neutron-scattering experiments.