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Probing multi-spinon excitations outside of the two-spinon continuum in the antiferromagnetic spin chain cuprate Sr2CuO3

Author

Listed:
  • J. Schlappa

    (European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser Facility GmbH
    Paul Scherrer Institut)

  • U. Kumar

    (The University of Tennessee)

  • K. J. Zhou

    (Paul Scherrer Institut
    Diamond Light Source)

  • S. Singh

    (Indian Institute of Science Education and Research)

  • M. Mourigal

    (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
    Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • V. N. Strocov

    (Paul Scherrer Institut)

  • A. Revcolevschi

    (Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux d’Orsay)

  • L. Patthey

    (Paul Scherrer Institut)

  • H. M. Rønnow

    (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)

  • S. Johnston

    (The University of Tennessee)

  • T. Schmitt

    (Paul Scherrer Institut)

Abstract

One-dimensional (1D) magnetic insulators have attracted significant interest as a platform for studying quasiparticle fractionalization, quantum criticality, and emergent phenomena. The spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with antiferromagnetic nearest neighbour interactions is an important reference system; its elementary magnetic excitations are spin-1/2 quasiparticles called spinons that are created in even numbers. However, while the excitation continuum associated with two-spinon states is routinely observed, the study of four-spinon and higher multi-spinon states is an open area of research. Here we show that four-spinon excitations can be accessed directly in Sr2CuO3 using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) in a region of phase space clearly separated from the two-spinon continuum. Our finding is made possible by the fundamental differences in the correlation function probed by RIXS in comparison to other probes. This advance holds promise as a tool in the search for novel quantum states and quantum spin liquids.

Suggested Citation

  • J. Schlappa & U. Kumar & K. J. Zhou & S. Singh & M. Mourigal & V. N. Strocov & A. Revcolevschi & L. Patthey & H. M. Rønnow & S. Johnston & T. Schmitt, 2018. "Probing multi-spinon excitations outside of the two-spinon continuum in the antiferromagnetic spin chain cuprate Sr2CuO3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07838-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07838-y
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    Cited by:

    1. A. Nag & A. Nocera & S. Agrestini & M. Garcia-Fernandez & A. C. Walters & Sang-Wook Cheong & S. Johnston & Ke-Jin Zhou, 2022. "Quadrupolar magnetic excitations in an isotropic spin-1 antiferromagnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.

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