Effect of external magnetic field on Kitaev-Heisenberg model

ORAL

Abstract

Recent experiments on α-RuCl3 have shown signatures of Kitaev quantum spin liquid when an external magnetic field larger than 7 T is applied. At zero field the system is known to order into a zigzag pattern that can be explained by several Kitaev-Heisenberg models. We explore the effects of the magnetic field on this ground state using classical Monte-Carlo simulations and spin wave analysis. We will show that the competition of the magnetic field with thermal fluctuations of the anisotropic Kitaev interaction leads to interesting new phases, including partially and fully incommensurate states.

*NSF Grant DMR-1511768

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Presenters

  • Yuriy Sizyuk

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of Minn - Minneapolis
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University

Authors

  • Gia-Wei Chern

    • Department of Physics, University of Virginia
    • University of Virginia
    • Physics, University of Virginia
    • Department of Physics, Univ of Virginia

  • Yuriy Sizyuk

    • School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of Minn - Minneapolis
    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University

  • Craig Price

    • Department of Physics, The Pennsylvania State University

  • Natalia Perkins

    • Univ of Minnesota - Twin Cities
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota-Twin cities
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, Univ of Minn - Minneapolis
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota