Dynamics of a two-dimensional quantum spin-orbital liquid: spectroscopic signatures of fermionic magnons
File(s)2003.04835v3.pdf (1.6 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Natori, Willian MH
Knolle, Johannes
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We provide an exact study of dynamical correlations for the quantum spin-orbital liquid phases of an SU(2)-symmetric Kitaev honeycomb lattice model. We show that the spin dynamics in this Kugel-Khomskii type model is exactly the density-density correlation function of
S
=
1
fermionic magnons, which could be probed in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering experiments. We predict the characteristic signatures of spin-orbital fractionalization in inelastic scattering experiments and compare them to the ones of the spin-anisotropic Kitaev honeycomb spin liquid. In particular, the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering response shows a characteristic momentum dependence directly related to the dispersion of fermionic excitations. The neutron scattering cross section displays a mixed response of fermionic magnons as well as spin-orbital excitations. The latter has a bandwidth of broad excitations and a vison gap that is three times larger than that of the spin-
1
=
2
Kitaev model.
S
=
1
fermionic magnons, which could be probed in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering experiments. We predict the characteristic signatures of spin-orbital fractionalization in inelastic scattering experiments and compare them to the ones of the spin-anisotropic Kitaev honeycomb spin liquid. In particular, the resonant inelastic x-ray scattering response shows a characteristic momentum dependence directly related to the dispersion of fermionic excitations. The neutron scattering cross section displays a mixed response of fermionic magnons as well as spin-orbital excitations. The latter has a bandwidth of broad excitations and a vison gap that is three times larger than that of the spin-
1
=
2
Kitaev model.
Date Issued
2020-08-05
Date Acceptance
2020-08-01
Citation
Physical Review Letters, 2020, 125 (6), pp.067201 – 1-067201 – 6
ISSN
0031-9007
Publisher
American Physical Society
Start Page
067201 – 1
End Page
067201 – 6
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review Letters
Volume
125
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2020 American Physical Society
Sponsor
The Royal Society
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000555785600010&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NIF\R1\181696
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Physics
PHYSICS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 067201
Date Publish Online
2020-08-05