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Strongly frustrated triangular spin lattice emerging from triplet dimer formation in honeycomb Li2IrO3

Author

Listed:
  • Satoshi Nishimoto

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden)

  • Vamshi M. Katukuri

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden)

  • Viktor Yushankhai

    (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research
    Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme)

  • Hermann Stoll

    (Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, Universität Stuttgart)

  • Ulrich K. Rößler

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden)

  • Liviu Hozoi

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden)

  • Ioannis Rousochatzakis

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden
    Max-Planck-Institut für Physik komplexer Systeme)

  • Jeroen van den Brink

    (Institute for Theoretical Solid State Physics, IFW Dresden
    Technical University Dresden)

Abstract

Iridium oxides with a honeycomb lattice have been identified as platforms for the much anticipated Kitaev topological spin liquid: the spin-orbit entangled states of Ir4+ in principle generate precisely the required type of anisotropic exchange. However, other magnetic couplings can drive the system away from the spin-liquid phase. With this in mind, here we disentangle the different magnetic interactions in Li2IrO3, a honeycomb iridate with two crystallographically inequivalent sets of adjacent Ir sites. Our ab initio many-body calculations show that, while both Heisenberg and Kitaev nearest-neighbour couplings are present, on one set of Ir–Ir bonds the former dominates, resulting in the formation of spin-triplet dimers. The triplet dimers frame a strongly frustrated triangular lattice and by exact cluster diagonalization we show that they remain protected in a wide region of the phase diagram.

Suggested Citation

  • Satoshi Nishimoto & Vamshi M. Katukuri & Viktor Yushankhai & Hermann Stoll & Ulrich K. Rößler & Liviu Hozoi & Ioannis Rousochatzakis & Jeroen van den Brink, 2016. "Strongly frustrated triangular spin lattice emerging from triplet dimer formation in honeycomb Li2IrO3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10273
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10273
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