Emergence of a field-driven U(1) spin liquid in the Kitaev honeycomb model.

ABSTRACT: In the field of quantum magnetism, the exactly solvable Kitaev honeycomb model serves as a paradigm for the fractionalization of spin degrees of freedom and the formation of [Formula: see text] quantum spin liquids. An intense experimental search has led to the discovery of a number of spin-orbit entangled Mott insulators that realize its characteristic bond-directional interactions and, in the presence of magnetic fields, exhibit no indications of long-range order. Here, we map out the complete phase diagram of the Kitaev model in tilted magnetic fields and report the emergence of a distinct gapless quantum spin liquid at intermediate field strengths. Analyzing a number of static, dynamical, and finite temperature quantities using numerical exact diagonalization techniques, we find strong

SUBMITTER: Hickey C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6355955 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature