Observing spin fractionalization of the Kitaev spin liquid via temperature evolution of the K-edge RIXS response

ORAL

Abstract

A prominent feature of the Kitaev quantum spin liquid is fractionalization of the spin degree of freedom. Here we propose that the temperature evolution of the fractionalization in the Kitaev honeycomb model can be studied by
the resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS). We calculate the RIXS response of the Kitaev honeycomb model and show how
the momentum-energy map of the fractionalization varies with temperature. We also suggest that the indirect RIXS process at Ru K-edge which allows for sub-meV resolution can provide important insights about the structure of the excitation spectrum in $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$.

*NBP was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences under Award \#DE-SC0018056.

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Presenters

  • Natalia Perkins

    • University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota

Authors

  • Gabor Halasz

    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oakridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Liboratory

  • Stefanos Kourtis

    • Boston University
    • Physics, Boston University

  • Johannes Knolle

    • Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College London
    • Physics, Imperial College London

  • Natalia Perkins

    • University of Minnesota
    • School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota