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arXiv · 1706.07003

Excitations in the field-induced quantum spin liquid state of alpha-RuCl3

A. Banerjee·P. Lampen-Kelley·J. Knolle·C. Balz·A. A. Aczel·B. Winn·Y. Liu·D. Pajerowski·J. -Q. Yan·C. A. Bridges·A. T. Savici·B. C. Chakoumakos·M. D. Lumsden·D. A. Tennant·R. Moessner·D. G. Mandrus·S. E. Nagler
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Abstract

The Kitaev model on a honeycomb lattice predicts a paradigmatic quantum spin liquid (QSL) exhibiting Majorana Fermion excitations. The insight that Kitaev physics might be realized in practice has stimulated investigations of candidate materials, recently including alpha-RuCl3. In all the systems studied to date, non-Kitaev interactions induce magnetic order at low temperature. However, in-plane magnetic fields of roughly 8 Tesla suppress the long-range magnetic order in alpha-RuCl3 raising the intriguing possibility of a field-induced QSL exhibiting non-Abelian quasiparticle excitations. Here we present inelastic neutron scattering in alpha-RuCl3 in an applied magnetic field. At a field of 8 Tesla, the spin waves characteristic of the ordered state vanish throughout the Brillouin zone. The remaining single dominant feature of the response is a broad continuum centered at the Gamma point, previously identified as a signature of fractionalized excitations. This provides compelling evidence that a field-induced QSL state has been achieved.

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A. Banerjee, P. Lampen-Kelley, J. Knolle, C. Balz, A. A. Aczel, B. Winn, Y. Liu, D. Pajerowski, J. -Q. Yan, C. A. Bridges, A. T. Savici, B. C. Chakoumakos, M. D. Lumsden, D. A. Tennant, R. Moessner, D. G. Mandrus, S. E. Nagler. 2017-06-21. Excitations in the field-induced quantum spin liquid state of alpha-RuCl3. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41535-018-0079-2

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