Theory of Raman response in three-dimensional Kitaev spin liquids: Application to beta- and gamma-Li2IrO3 compounds
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Accepted version
Author(s)
Perreault, Brent
Knolle, Johannes
Perkins, Natalia B
Burnell, FJ
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We calculate the Raman response for the Kitaev spin model on the
H
−
0
,
H
−
1
, and
H
−
∞
harmonic honeycomb lattices. We identify several quantitative features in the Raman spectrum that are characteristic of the spin liquid phase. Unlike the dynamical structure factor, which probes both the Majorana spinons and flux excitations that emerge from spin fractionalization, the Raman spectrum in the Kitaev models directly probes a density of states of pairs of fractional, dispersing Majorana spinons. As a consequence, the Raman spectrum in all these models is gapless for sufficiently isotropic couplings, with a low-energy power law that results from the Fermi lines (or points) of the dispersing Majorana spinons. We show that the polarization dependence of the Raman spectrum contains crucial information about the symmetry of the ground state. We also discuss to what extent the features of the Raman response that we find reflect generic properties of the spin liquid phase, and comment on their possible relevance to
α
-,
β
-, and
γ
−
Li
2
IrO
3
compounds.
H
−
0
,
H
−
1
, and
H
−
∞
harmonic honeycomb lattices. We identify several quantitative features in the Raman spectrum that are characteristic of the spin liquid phase. Unlike the dynamical structure factor, which probes both the Majorana spinons and flux excitations that emerge from spin fractionalization, the Raman spectrum in the Kitaev models directly probes a density of states of pairs of fractional, dispersing Majorana spinons. As a consequence, the Raman spectrum in all these models is gapless for sufficiently isotropic couplings, with a low-energy power law that results from the Fermi lines (or points) of the dispersing Majorana spinons. We show that the polarization dependence of the Raman spectrum contains crucial information about the symmetry of the ground state. We also discuss to what extent the features of the Raman response that we find reflect generic properties of the spin liquid phase, and comment on their possible relevance to
α
-,
β
-, and
γ
−
Li
2
IrO
3
compounds.
Date Issued
2015-09-25
Date Acceptance
2015-07-08
Citation
Physical review B: Condensed matter and materials physics, 2015, 92 (9)
ISSN
1098-0121
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical review B: Condensed matter and materials physics
Volume
92
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
Theory of Raman response in three-dimensional Kitaev spin liquids: Application to
β
- and
γ
−
Li
2
IrO
3
compounds
Brent Perreault, Johannes Knolle, Natalia B. Perkins, and F. J. Burnell
Phys. Rev. B 92, 094439 – Published 25 September 2015. ©2015 American Physical Society
β
- and
γ
−
Li
2
IrO
3
compounds
Brent Perreault, Johannes Knolle, Natalia B. Perkins, and F. J. Burnell
Phys. Rev. B 92, 094439 – Published 25 September 2015. ©2015 American Physical Society
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Condensed Matter
Physics
MOTT-HUBBARD SYSTEMS
QUANTUM CRITICALITY
KAGOME-LATTICE
FLUX PHASE
EXCITATIONS
SCATTERING
STATE
ANTIFERROMAGNET
REALIZATION
IRIDATE
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
094439