Neutron scattering signatures of the 3D hyperhoneycomb Kitaev quantum spin liquid
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Smith, A
Knolle, J
Kovrizhin, DL
Chalker, JT
Moessner, R
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Motivated by recent synthesis of the hyperhoneycomb material
β
−
Li
2
IrO
3
, we study the dynamical structure factor (DSF) of the corresponding 3D Kitaev quantum spin-liquid (QSL), whose fractionalized degrees of freedom are Majorana fermions and emergent flux loops. The properties of this 3D model are known to differ in important ways from those of its 2D counterpart—it has a finite-temperature phase transition, as well as distinct features in the Raman response. We show, however, that the qualitative behavior of the DSF is broadly dimension-independent. Characteristics of the 3D DSF include a response gap even in the gapless QSL phase and an energy dependence deriving from the Majorana fermion density of states. Since the majority of the response is from states containing a single Majorana excitation, our results suggest inelastic neutron scattering as the spectroscopy of choice to illuminate the physics of Majorana fermions in Kitaev QSLs.
β
−
Li
2
IrO
3
, we study the dynamical structure factor (DSF) of the corresponding 3D Kitaev quantum spin-liquid (QSL), whose fractionalized degrees of freedom are Majorana fermions and emergent flux loops. The properties of this 3D model are known to differ in important ways from those of its 2D counterpart—it has a finite-temperature phase transition, as well as distinct features in the Raman response. We show, however, that the qualitative behavior of the DSF is broadly dimension-independent. Characteristics of the 3D DSF include a response gap even in the gapless QSL phase and an energy dependence deriving from the Majorana fermion density of states. Since the majority of the response is from states containing a single Majorana excitation, our results suggest inelastic neutron scattering as the spectroscopy of choice to illuminate the physics of Majorana fermions in Kitaev QSLs.
Date Issued
2015-11-11
Date Acceptance
2015-08-21
Citation
Physical review B: Condensed matter and materials physics, 2015, 92 (18)
ISSN
1098-0121
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical review B: Condensed matter and materials physics
Volume
92
Issue
18
Copyright Statement
Neutron scattering signatures of the 3D hyperhoneycomb Kitaev quantum spin liquid
A. Smith, J. Knolle, D. L. Kovrizhin, J. T. Chalker, and R. Moessner
Phys. Rev. B 92, 180408(R) – Published 11 November 2015. ©2015 American Physical Society
A. Smith, J. Knolle, D. L. Kovrizhin, J. T. Chalker, and R. Moessner
Phys. Rev. B 92, 180408(R) – Published 11 November 2015. ©2015 American Physical Society
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Condensed Matter
Physics
VALENCE-BOND
ANTIFERROMAGNETS
STATES
MODEL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
180408