Robust spin correlations at high magnetic fields in the honeycomb iridates

Understand

The complexity of the antiferromagnetic orders observed in the honeycomb iridates is a double-edged sword in the search for a quantum spin-liquid ground state: both attesting that the magnetic interactions provide many of the necessary ingredients, but simultaneously impeding access.

• As a result, focus has been drawn to the unusual magnetic orders and the hints they provide to the underlying spin correlations.
• However, the study of any particular broken symmetry state generally provides little clue as to the possibilities of other nearby ground states \cite{Anderson}.
• Here we use extreme magnetic fields to reveal the extent of the spin correlations in $\gamma$-lithium iridate.