Reciprocal-space structure of neutron scattering from Stoner excitations in MnSi

ORAL

Abstract

When neutron scattering is used to probe magnetic excitations in solids, information about electrons' density distribution and interactions is encoded in the energy spectrum, as well as in the reciprocal-space structure of the scattering cross-section. In the local-moment limit that best describes magnetic insulators, the latter quantity translates into the atomic magnetic form factor and the dynamic structure factor of spin waves, which may vary significantly across Brillouin zones (BZs). In the itinerant limit that best describes magnetic metals, however, magnetic excitations consist of both spin waves and Stoner excitations; while the latter directly arise from electronic bands, it remains hitherto unknown how to relate their neutron-scattering cross-section, in particular the variations across BZs, to the electronic band structure and the associated wave functions. Here we present a systematic inelastic neutron scattering study of the prototypical itinerant magnet MnSi, along with first-principles and model-calculational analyses. Our result sheds new light on the local-itinerant dichotomy of magnetism in crystalline solids, by highlighting the notion of magnetic molecular orbitals for describing MnSi.

*Funding Sources: National Natural Science Foundation of China

–

Presenters

  • Zhendong Jin

    • International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University

Authors

  • Zhendong Jin

    • International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University

  • Yangmu Li

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Biaoyan Hu

    • International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University

  • Yiran Liu

    • International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University

  • Kazuki Iida

    • Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS)

  • Kazuya Kamazawa

    • Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS)

  • Matthew Brandon Stone

    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge national lab
    • Quantum Condensed Matter Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oakridge National Laboratory

  • Alexander Kolesnikov

    • Spallation Neutron Source, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Oak Ridge National Lab
    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • ORNL
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Douglas L Abernathy

    • Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
    • Oak Ridge National Lab

  • Xiangyu Zhang

    • State Key Laboratory for Advance Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing

  • Haiyang Chen

    • State Key Laboratory for Advance Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing

  • Yandong Wang

    • State Key Laboratory for Advance Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing

  • Igor Zaliznyak

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • John Tranquada

    • Brookhaven National Laboratory
    • Brookhaven national lab
    • Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science Division, Brookhaven National Laboratory

  • Yuan Li

    • International Center for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University
    • Peking University
    • Peking Univ
    • International Cent re for Quantum Materials, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, Peking Univ