MAGNETIC-STRUCTURE OF THE SPIN-LIQUID STATE IN A FRUSTRATED PYROCHLORE

The antiferromagnetic pyrochlores exhibit a high degree of frustration , resulting in a continuously disordered ground state. Neutron powder diffraction experiments have detected magnetic scattering similar in f orm to a liquid structure factor. We present a single crystal neutron scattering study of the pyrochlore CsNiCrF6 and quantify the anisotrop y of the scattering. Using these data, we show that there are strong c orrelations between nearest-neighbor spins, and no significant longer correlations. This provides clear evidence for the liquidlike nature o f the pyrochlore magnetic structure.