Diffuse scattering signals in the quasi-1D transverse-field Ising model material CoNb₂O₆

In many low-dimensional solid-state quantum magnets, disorder and frustration can conspire to drive the system into unfamiliar magnetically (dis)ordered phases. These phases exhibit behaviors and effects that we are still striving to comprehend due to their inherent non-equilibrium (NEQ) nature. Progress in this field relies on tractable models, such as the 1D transverse-field Ising model (TFIM), which can be experimentally realized in materials like CoNb₂O₆. This material exhibits a quantum critical point at an applied transverse field strength of approximately H = 5.3 T, as determined by various thermodynamic and neutron scattering measurements. While significant progress has been made in mapping out the temperature-field phase diagrams for this material, a complete view remains elusive as recent studies have revealed that this material possesses a glass-like phase at low temperatures and transverse fields. We present experimental neutron scattering data that provides a portrait of this enigmatic yet rich phase diagram through its anomalous diffuse scattering signatures at varying transverse field strengths and temperatures, which will contribute to the ongoing exploration of the vast scientific wilderness that is the NEQ regime.