New measurements call spin liquids into question

Two fundamentally different properties of the electron: charge and spin - Is it possible to transmit information through a material in the form of electron spins? New measurements show: not in the way that scientists had been working on for decades. It is an old dream of solid-state physics: "spin liquids" are a hypothetical state of matter with exotic magnetic properties. They could be used to transmit information without even a single electron having to move from its site. This could offer great advantages for electronic components and even quantum computers. For years, there have been indications that such spin liquids might exist in real materials, but no convincing experimental proof has been reported to date. Now, however, new measurements show that spin liquids cannot even form in a material that was previously considered the prime candidate. This means that new routes have to be taken.