Hearing the Light: Stray-Field Noise from the Emergent Photon in Quantum Spin Ice
Abstract
Decisive experimental confirmation of the U(1) quantum spin liquid phase in quantum spin ice remains an outstanding challenge. In this Letter, we propose stray-field magnetometry as a direct probe of the emergent photons-the gapless excitation of the emergent electrodynamics in quantum spin ice. The emergent photons are transverse magnetization waves, which, in a finite sample, form discrete modes governed by one of two sets of natural boundary conditions: "insulating" or "superconducting." Considering cavity and thin film geometries, we find that the spectrum and spatial structure of the stray magnetic noise provide a sharp qualitative signature of the underlying electrodynamics. The predicted stray-field noise power lies comfortably within the detection range of present-day solid-state defect magnetometry.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Advanced Condensed Matter Physics
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Quantum many-body systems
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 25
- Pages
- 256705–256705
- Publication date
- 20 May 2026
- Language
- EN