Neutron Spectroscopy Evidence for a Possible Magnetic-Field-Induced Gapless Quantum-Spin-Liquid Phase in a Kitaev Material alpha-RuCl3

doi:10.1088/0256-307X/39/5/057501

	Neutron Spectroscopy Evidence for a Possible Magnetic-Field-Induced Gapless Quantum-Spin-Liquid Phase in a Kitaev Material alpha-RuCl3
	Zhao, Xiaoxue 1,2; Ran, Kejing3,4 ; Wang, Jinghui3,4 ; Bao, Song 1,2; Shangguan, Yanyan 1,2; Huang, Zhentao 1,2; Liao, Junbo 1,2; Zhang, Bo 1,2; Cheng, Shufan 1,2; Xu, Hao 1,2; Wang, Wei 5; Dong, Zhao-Yang 6; Meng, Siqin 7,8; Lu, Zhilun 7,9; Yano, Shin-ichiro 10; Yu, Shun-Li 1,2,11; Li, Jian-Xin 1,2,11; Wen, Jinsheng 1,2,11
	2022-04
发表期刊	CHINESE PHYSICS LETTERS (IF:3.5[JCR-2023],2.1[5-Year])
ISSN	0256-307X
EISSN	1741-3540
卷号	39 期号:5
发表状态	已发表
DOI	10.1088/0256-307X/39/5/057501
摘要	As one of the most promising Kitaev quantum-spin-liquid (QSL) candidates, alpha-RuCl3 has received a great deal of attention. However, its ground state exhibits a long-range zigzag magnetic order, which defies the QSL phase. Nevertheless, the magnetic order is fragile and can be completely suppressed by applying an external magnetic field. Here, we explore the evolution of magnetic excitations of alpha-RuCl3 under an in-plane magnetic field, by carrying out inelastic neutron scattering measurements on high-quality single crystals. Under zero field, there exist spin-wave excitations near the M point and a continuum near the Gamma point, which are believed to be associated with the zigzag magnetic order and fractional excitations of the Kitaev QSL state, respectively. By increasing the magnetic field, the spin-wave excitations gradually give way to the continuous excitations. On the verge of the critical field mu (0) H (c) = 7.5 T, the former ones vanish and only the latter ones are left, indicating the emergence of a pure QSL state. By further increasing the field strength, the excitations near the Gamma point become more intense. By following the gap evolution of the excitations near the Gamma point, we are able to establish a phase diagram composed of three interesting phases, including a gapped zigzag order phase at low fields, possibly gapless QSL phase near mu (0) H (c), and gapped partially polarized phase at high fields. These results demonstrate that an in-plane magnetic field can drive alpha-RuCl3 into a long-sought QSL state near the critical field.
URL	查看原文
收录类别	SCI ; EI ; SCIE
语种	英语
资助项目	National Key Research and Development Program of China[2021YFA1400400] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[11822405,12074174,12074175,92165205,11904170,12004249,12004251,12004191] ; Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province["BK20180006","BK20190436","BK20200738"] ; Shanghai Sailing Program["20YF1430600","21YF1429200"] ; [17205993-CR] ; [P5844] ; [IC6741]
WOS研究方向	Physics
WOS类目	Physics, Multidisciplinary
WOS记录号	WOS:000785573600001
出版者	IOP Publishing Ltd
引用统计	被引频次：9[WOS] [WOS记录] [WOS相关记录]
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	https://kms.shanghaitech.edu.cn/handle/2MSLDSTB/176042
专题	物质科学与技术学院_公共科研平台_拓扑物理实验室物质科学与技术学院_PI研究组_张石磊组
通讯作者	Yu, Shun-Li; Li, Jian-Xin; Wen, Jinsheng
作者单位	1.Nanjing Univ, Natl Lab Solid State Microstruct, Nanjing 210093, Peoples R China 2.Nanjing Univ, Dept Phys, Nanjing 210093, Peoples R China 3.ShanghaiTech Univ, Sch Phys Sci & Technol, Shanghai 200031, Peoples R China 4.ShanghaiTech Univ, ShanghaiTech Lab Topol Phys, Shanghai 200031, Peoples R China 5.Nanjing Univ Posts & Telecommun, Sch Sci, Nanjing 210023, Peoples R China 6.Nanjing Univ Sci & Technol, Dept Appl Phys, Nanjing 210094, Peoples R China 7.Mat & Energie GmbH, Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Hahn Meitner Pl 1D, D-14109 Berlin, Germany 8.China Inst Atom Energy, Beijing 102413, Peoples R China 9.Edinburgh Napier Univ, Sch Engn & Built Environm, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, Midlothian, Scotland 10.Natl Synchrotron Radiat Res Ctr, Hsinchu 30077, Taiwan 11.Nanjing Univ, Collaborat Innovat Ctr Adv Microstruct, Nanjing 210093, Peoples R China
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Zhao, Xiaoxue,Ran, Kejing,Wang, Jinghui,et al. Neutron Spectroscopy Evidence for a Possible Magnetic-Field-Induced Gapless Quantum-Spin-Liquid Phase in a Kitaev Material alpha-RuCl3[J]. CHINESE PHYSICS LETTERS,2022,39(5).
APA	Zhao, Xiaoxue.,Ran, Kejing.,Wang, Jinghui.,Bao, Song.,Shangguan, Yanyan.,...&Wen, Jinsheng.(2022).Neutron Spectroscopy Evidence for a Possible Magnetic-Field-Induced Gapless Quantum-Spin-Liquid Phase in a Kitaev Material alpha-RuCl3.CHINESE PHYSICS LETTERS,39(5).
MLA	Zhao, Xiaoxue,et al."Neutron Spectroscopy Evidence for a Possible Magnetic-Field-Induced Gapless Quantum-Spin-Liquid Phase in a Kitaev Material alpha-RuCl3".CHINESE PHYSICS LETTERS 39.5(2022).