Field-induced first-order topological phase transition in a Kitaev spin liquid candidate α-RuCl<sub>3</sub>

ORAL

Abstract

The honeycomb magnet α-RuCl3 is a prime candidate for the Kitaev quantum spin liquid as revealed by the half-integer quantized thermal Hall (HIQTH) conductivity κxy in the field-induced paramagnetic state, indicating the emergence of non-abelian anyon. However, the fate of this topologically nontrivial state at intense fields remains largely elusive. Here, we report longitudinal thermal conductivity κxx in in-plane magnetic fields. Remarkably, κxx at very low temperatures exhibits a discontinuous jump at μ0H* = 11 T for bond perpendicular field direction along which the HIQTH effect is observed. We find that this H* is close to the field at which the HIQTH effect vanishes, demonstrating the emergent first-order topological phase transition.

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Presenters

  • Shota Suetsugu

    • Kyoto University
    • Kyoto Univ

Authors

  • Shota Suetsugu

    • Kyoto University
    • Kyoto Univ

  • Ukai Yuzuki

    • Kyoto University

  • Masaki Shimomura

    • Kyoto Univ
    • Kyoto University

  • Yuichi Kasahara

    • Kyoto University
    • Kyoto Univ

  • Hinako Murayama

    • Kyoto Univ
    • Kyoto University

  • Tomoya Asaba

    • Kyoto University
    • Kyoto Univ
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Nobuyuki Kurita

    • Tokyo Institute of Technology

  • Hidekazu Tanaka

    • Tokyo Institute of Technology

  • Yuta Mizukami

    • University of Tokyo
    • Univ of Tokyo
    • Univ of Tokyo-Kashiwanoha

  • Kenichiro Hashimoto

    • University of Tokyo
    • Univ of Tokyo

  • Takasada Shibauchi

    • Univ of Tokyo-Kashiwanoha
    • Univ of Tokyo
    • University of Tokyo

  • Joji Nasu

    • Tohoku University

  • Yukitoshi Motome

    • University of Tokyo
    • Univ of Tokyo

  • Yuji Matsuda

    • Kyoto University
    • Kyoto Univ