Quasimolecular $J_{\rm tet}$=3/2 moments in the cluster Mott insulator GaTa$_4$Se$_8$

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Magnaterra, M., Attig, J., Peterlini, L., Hermanns, M., Upton, M. H., Kim, Jungho, Prodan, L., Tsurkan, V., Kézsmárki, I., van Loosdrecht, P. H. M., Grüninger, M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Magnaterra, M.
Attig, J.
Peterlini, L.
Hermanns, M.
Upton, M. H.
Kim, Jungho
Prodan, L.
Tsurkan, V.
Kézsmárki, I.
van Loosdrecht, P. H. M.
Grüninger, M.
author_facet Magnaterra, M.
Attig, J.
Peterlini, L.
Hermanns, M.
Upton, M. H.
Kim, Jungho
Prodan, L.
Tsurkan, V.
Kézsmárki, I.
van Loosdrecht, P. H. M.
Grüninger, M.
contents Quasimolecular orbitals in cluster Mott insulators provide a route to tailor exchange interactions, which may yield novel quantum phases of matter. We demonstrate the cluster Mott character of the lacunar spinel GaTa$_4$Se$_8$ using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Ta $L_3$ edge. Electrons are fully delocalized over Ta$_4$ tetrahedra, forming quasimolecular $J_{\rm tet}$=3/2 moments. The modulation of the RIXS intensity as function of the transferred momentum q allows us to determine the cluster wavefunction, which depends on competing intracluster hopping terms that mix states with different character. This mixed wavefunction is decisive for the macroscopic properties since it affects intercluster hopping and exchange interactions and furthermore renormalizes the effective spin-orbit coupling constant. The versatile wavefunction, tunable via intracluster hopping, opens a new perspective on the large family of lacunar spinels and cluster Mott insulators in general.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2309_12454
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Quasimolecular $J_{\rm tet}$=3/2 moments in the cluster Mott insulator GaTa$_4$Se$_8$
Magnaterra, M.
Attig, J.
Peterlini, L.
Hermanns, M.
Upton, M. H.
Kim, Jungho
Prodan, L.
Tsurkan, V.
Kézsmárki, I.
van Loosdrecht, P. H. M.
Grüninger, M.
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Quasimolecular orbitals in cluster Mott insulators provide a route to tailor exchange interactions, which may yield novel quantum phases of matter. We demonstrate the cluster Mott character of the lacunar spinel GaTa$_4$Se$_8$ using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the Ta $L_3$ edge. Electrons are fully delocalized over Ta$_4$ tetrahedra, forming quasimolecular $J_{\rm tet}$=3/2 moments. The modulation of the RIXS intensity as function of the transferred momentum q allows us to determine the cluster wavefunction, which depends on competing intracluster hopping terms that mix states with different character. This mixed wavefunction is decisive for the macroscopic properties since it affects intercluster hopping and exchange interactions and furthermore renormalizes the effective spin-orbit coupling constant. The versatile wavefunction, tunable via intracluster hopping, opens a new perspective on the large family of lacunar spinels and cluster Mott insulators in general.
title Quasimolecular $J_{\rm tet}$=3/2 moments in the cluster Mott insulator GaTa$_4$Se$_8$
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.12454