Jun Zhao's group recently composed a Nature paper based on neutron scattering data obtained on the inorganic quantum spin liquid candidate YbMgGaO₄. The authors’ measurements suggest the existence of a clear upper excitation edge or a spinon Fermi surface for this material and might be the first momentum- and energy-dependent observations of a spinon metal.

The optically transparent, cm-sized single crystals of YbMgGaO₄ were grown with a ScIDre HKZ optical floating zone furnace at the Fudan University. The crystals of this exotic material approved to have extraordinary quality, suitable for high-resolution neutron scattering measurements. We are pleased to get attested the low-pressure capability of our HKZ furnaces in such impressive way. Congratulations to the authors for this remarkable publication!