Continuum of magnetic excitations in the Kitaev honeycomb iridate D3LiIr2O6

Published

February 12, 2024

Author(s)

Thomas Halloran, Yishu Wang, Kemp Plumb, M. B. Stone, Barry Winn, M. K. Graves-Brook, Jose Rodriguez Rivera, Yiming Qiu, Prashant Chauhan, N. Armitage, Tomohiro Takayama, Hidenori Takagi, Collin L. Broholm

Abstract

Inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements of powder D3(7Li)(193Ir)2O6 reveal low energy magnetic excitations with a scattering cross section that is featureless versus |Q| and consistent with a Kitaev spin-liquid (KSL) state. The magnetic nature of the excitation spectrum is demonstrated by polarized neutron studies. The total magnetic moment of 1.7(2)µB/Ir inferred from the total magnetic scattering cross section is consistent with the effective moment inferred from magnetic susceptibility data and expectations for the Jeff = 1/2 single ion state. The rise in the dynamic correlation function S(Q, ω) for ℏω < 5 meV can be described by a nearest-neighbor Kitaev model with interaction strength K ≈ −10(3) meV. Exchange disorder associated with the mixed D-Li site could play an important role in stabilizing the low T quantum fluctuating state.

Citation

Physical Review Letters

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

Magnetism, Neutron Scattering, Quantum spin liquid, Kitaev spin liquid, Iridates

Citation

Halloran, T. , Wang, Y. , Plumb, K. , Stone, M. , Winn, B. , Graves-Brook, M. , Rodriguez Rivera, J. , Qiu, Y. , Chauhan, P. , Armitage, N. , Takayama, T. , Takagi, H. and Broholm, C. (2024), Continuum of magnetic excitations in the Kitaev honeycomb iridate D3LiIr2O6, Physical Review Letters (Accessed December 11, 2024)