Hubbard model with Rashba or Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling and Rotated Anti-ferromagnetic Heisenberg Model

Abstract

In this work, we investigate the possible dramatic effects of Rashba or Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC) on fermionic Hubbard model in a 2d square lattice. In the strong coupling limit, it leads to the Rotated Anti-ferromagnetic Heisenberg model which is a new class of quantum spin model. For a special equivalent class, we identify a new spin-orbital entangled commensurate ground ( Y-y ) state subject to strong quantum fluctuations at $T=0$. We evaluate the quantum fluctuations by the spin wave expansion up to order $ 1/S^2 $. In some SOC parameter regime, the Y-y state supports a massive relativistic in-commensurate magnon ( C-IC ) with its two gap minima positions continuously tuned by the SOC parameters. The C-IC magnons dominate all the low temperature thermodynamic quantities and also lead to the separation of the peak positions between the longitudinal and the transverse spin structure factors. In the weak coupling limit, any weak repulsive interaction also leads to a weak Y-y state. There is only a crossover from the weak to the strong coupling. High temperature expansions of the specific heats in both weak and strong coupling are presented. The dramatic roles to be played by these C-IC magnons at generic SOC parameters or under various external probes are hinted. Experimental applications to both layered noncentrosymmetric materials and cold atom are discussed.