Field-driven transition from quantum spin liquid to magnetic order in triangular-lattice antiferromagnets

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Dey, Santanu, Maciejko, Joseph, Vojta, Matthias
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Dey, Santanu
Maciejko, Joseph
Vojta, Matthias
author_facet Dey, Santanu
Maciejko, Joseph
Vojta, Matthias
contents Recently several triangular-lattice magnets with delafossite structure have been found to display spin-liquid behavior down to the lowest temperatures. Remarkably, applying a magnetic field destroys the spin liquid which then gives way to symmetry-breaking states, identified as semiclassical coplanar states including a magnetization plateau at 1/3 total magnetization. Here we provide a theoretical approach rationalizing this dichotomy, utilizing a Schwinger-boson theory that captures both ordered and disordered magnetic phases. We show that a zero-field spin liquid, driven by strong frustration, is naturally destabilized in a magnetic field via spinon condensation. Symmetry-breaking order akin to the standard triangular-lattice Heisenberg model then arises via an order-by-disorder mechanism. We discuss implications for pertinent experiments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2312_03879
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Field-driven transition from quantum spin liquid to magnetic order in triangular-lattice antiferromagnets
Dey, Santanu
Maciejko, Joseph
Vojta, Matthias
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Recently several triangular-lattice magnets with delafossite structure have been found to display spin-liquid behavior down to the lowest temperatures. Remarkably, applying a magnetic field destroys the spin liquid which then gives way to symmetry-breaking states, identified as semiclassical coplanar states including a magnetization plateau at 1/3 total magnetization. Here we provide a theoretical approach rationalizing this dichotomy, utilizing a Schwinger-boson theory that captures both ordered and disordered magnetic phases. We show that a zero-field spin liquid, driven by strong frustration, is naturally destabilized in a magnetic field via spinon condensation. Symmetry-breaking order akin to the standard triangular-lattice Heisenberg model then arises via an order-by-disorder mechanism. We discuss implications for pertinent experiments.
title Field-driven transition from quantum spin liquid to magnetic order in triangular-lattice antiferromagnets
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.03879