  Quantum spin liquid (QSL), a state characterized by exotic low energy
fractionalized excitations and statistics is still elusive experimentally and
may be gauged via indirect experimental signatures. Remnant of QSL phase may
reflect in the spin dynamics as well as quanta of lattice vibrations, i.e.,
phonons, via the strong coupling of phonons with the underlying fractionalized
excitations i.e., Majorana fermions. Inelastic light scattering (Raman) studies
on V1-xPS3 single crystals evidences the spin fractionalization into Majorana
fermions deep into the paramagnetic phase reflected in the emergence of a low
frequency quasielastic response along with a broad magnetic continuum marked by
a crossover temperature T* ~ 200 K from a pure paramagnetic state to
fractionalized spins regime qualitatively gauged via dynamic Raman
susceptibility. We further evidenced anomalies in the phonons self-energy
parameters in particular phonon line broadening and line asymmetry evolution at
this crossover temperature, attributed to the decaying of phonons into
itinerant Majorana fermions. This anomalous scattering response is thus
indicative of fluctuating fractionalized spins suggesting a phase proximate to
the quantum spin liquid state in this quasi two-dimensional (2D) magnetic
system.
