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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20337 |
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| _version_ | 1866917409816838144 |
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| author | Cassol, Francesco Gaspard, Léo Martins, Cyril Casula, Michele Lenz, Benjamin |
| author_facet | Cassol, Francesco Gaspard, Léo Martins, Cyril Casula, Michele Lenz, Benjamin |
| contents | As a consequence of their spin-orbit entangled ground state, many $5d^{5}$ iridate materials display a peculiar double peak structure in optical transport quantities, such as absorption and conductivity. Their common interpretation is based on the presence of Hubbard subbands in the half-filled $j_{\mathrm{eff}}=1/2$ manifold. Herein, we challenge this picture, proposing a scenario based on the presence of spin-polaron (SP) quasiparticles, and assigning a dominant SP character to the first peak. We illustrate it by taking the materials Ba$_2$IrO$_4$ and Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ as paradigmatic examples, which we investigate within the dynamical mean-field theory and the self-consistent Born approximation. Both theories reproduce nontrivial features revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and optical transport measurements, supporting our interpretation. In the case of Sr$_2$IrO$_4$, we show how the SP scenario survives in the low-doped regime. Similar optical transport fingerprints are expected to be found in the wider class of $5d^5$ iridates and more generally in strongly correlated antiferromagnetic regimes, such as those found in cuprates. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_20337 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Spin-polaron fingerprints in the optical conductivity of iridates Cassol, Francesco Gaspard, Léo Martins, Cyril Casula, Michele Lenz, Benjamin Strongly Correlated Electrons As a consequence of their spin-orbit entangled ground state, many $5d^{5}$ iridate materials display a peculiar double peak structure in optical transport quantities, such as absorption and conductivity. Their common interpretation is based on the presence of Hubbard subbands in the half-filled $j_{\mathrm{eff}}=1/2$ manifold. Herein, we challenge this picture, proposing a scenario based on the presence of spin-polaron (SP) quasiparticles, and assigning a dominant SP character to the first peak. We illustrate it by taking the materials Ba$_2$IrO$_4$ and Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ as paradigmatic examples, which we investigate within the dynamical mean-field theory and the self-consistent Born approximation. Both theories reproduce nontrivial features revealed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and optical transport measurements, supporting our interpretation. In the case of Sr$_2$IrO$_4$, we show how the SP scenario survives in the low-doped regime. Similar optical transport fingerprints are expected to be found in the wider class of $5d^5$ iridates and more generally in strongly correlated antiferromagnetic regimes, such as those found in cuprates. |
| title | Spin-polaron fingerprints in the optical conductivity of iridates |
| topic | Strongly Correlated Electrons |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.20337 |