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Breakdown of magnons in a strongly spin-orbital coupled magnet

Author

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  • Stephen M. Winter

    (Institut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

  • Kira Riedl

    (Institut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

  • Pavel A. Maksimov

    (University of California)

  • Alexander L. Chernyshev

    (University of California)

  • Andreas Honecker

    (Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modélisation, CNRS UMR 8089, Université de Cergy-Pontoise)

  • Roser Valentí

    (Institut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)

Abstract

The description of quantized collective excitations stands as a landmark in the quantum theory of condensed matter. A prominent example occurs in conventional magnets, which support bosonic magnons—quantized harmonic fluctuations of the ordered spins. In striking contrast is the recent discovery that strongly spin-orbital-coupled magnets, such as α-RuCl3, may display a broad excitation continuum inconsistent with conventional magnons. Due to incomplete knowledge of the underlying interactions unraveling the nature of this continuum remains challenging. The most discussed explanation refers to a coherent continuum of fractional excitations analogous to the celebrated Kitaev spin liquid. Here, we present a more general scenario. We propose that the observed continuum represents incoherent excitations originating from strong magnetic anharmonicity that naturally occurs in such materials. This scenario fully explains the observed inelastic magnetic response of α-RuCl3 and reveals the presence of nontrivial excitations in such materials extending well beyond the Kitaev state.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen M. Winter & Kira Riedl & Pavel A. Maksimov & Alexander L. Chernyshev & Andreas Honecker & Roser Valentí, 2017. "Breakdown of magnons in a strongly spin-orbital coupled magnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-01177-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01177-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaojian Bai & Shang-Shun Zhang & Hao Zhang & Zhiling Dun & W. Adam Phelan & V. Ovidiu Garlea & Martin Mourigal & Cristian D. Batista, 2023. "Instabilities of heavy magnons in an anisotropic magnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Fen Xue & Shy-Jay Lin & Mingyuan Song & William Hwang & Christoph Klewe & Chien-Min Lee & Emrah Turgut & Padraic Shafer & Arturas Vailionis & Yen-Lin Huang & Wilman Tsai & Xinyu Bao & Shan X. Wang, 2023. "Field-free spin-orbit torque switching assisted by in-plane unconventional spin torque in ultrathin [Pt/Co]N," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Xu-Guang Zhou & Han Li & Yasuhiro H. Matsuda & Akira Matsuo & Wei Li & Nobuyuki Kurita & Gang Su & Koichi Kindo & Hidekazu Tanaka, 2023. "Possible intermediate quantum spin liquid phase in α-RuCl3 under high magnetic fields up to 100 T," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-7, December.

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