334 research outputs found
Order from disorder: Quantum spin gap in magnon spectra of LaTiO_3
A theory of the anisotropic superexchange and low energy spin excitations in
a Mott insulator with t_{2g} orbital degeneracy is presented. We observe that
the spin-orbit coupling induces frustrating Ising-like anisotropy terms in the
spin Hamiltonian, which invalidate noninteracting spin wave theory. The
frustration of classical states is resolved by an order from disorder
mechanism, which selects a particular direction of the staggered moment and
generates a quantum spin gap. The theory explains well the observed magnon gaps
in LaTiO_3. As a test case, a specific prediction is made on the splitting of
magnon branches at certain momentum directions.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, final versio
Entropy Driven Dimerization in a One-Dimensional Spin-Orbital Model
We study a new version of the one-dimensional spin-orbital model with spins
S=1 relevant to cubic vanadates. At small Hund's coupling J_H we discover
dimerization in a pure electronic system solely due to a dynamical spin-orbital
coupling. Above a critical value J_H, a uniform ferromagnetic state is
stabilized at zero temperature. More surprisingly, we observe a temperature
driven dimerization of the ferrochain, which occurs due to a large entropy
released by dimer states. This dynamical dimerization seems to be the mechanism
driving the peculiar intermediate phase of YVO_3.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Spin-Orbital Entanglement and Violation of the Goodenough-Kanamori Rules
We point out that large composite spin-orbital fluctuations in Mott
insulators with orbital degeneracy are a manifestation of quantum
entanglement of spin and orbital variables. This results in a dynamical nature
of the spin superexchange interactions, which fluctuate over positive and
negative values, and leads to an apparent violation of the Goodenough-Kanamori
rules. [{\it Published in Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 96}, 147205 (2006).}]Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Orbital liquid in three dimensional Mott insulator:
We present a theory of spin and orbital states in Mott insulator .
The spin-orbital superexchange interaction between ions in cubic
crystal suffers from a pathological degeneracy of orbital states at classical
level. Quantum effects remove this degeneracy and result in the formation of
the coherent ground state, in which the orbital moment of level is
fully quenched. We find a finite gap for orbital excitations. Such a disordered
state of local degrees of freedom on unfrustrated, simple cubic lattice is
highly unusual. Orbital liquid state naturally explains observed anomalies of
.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Spin-orbital excitation continuum and anomalous electron-phonon interaction in the Mott insulator LaTiO
Raman scattering experiments on stoichiometric, Mott-insulating LaTiO
over a wide range of excitation energies reveal a broad electronic continuum
which is featureless in the paramagnetic state, but develops a gap of cm upon cooling below the N\'eel temperature K. In the
antiferromagnetic state, the spectral weight below the gap is transferred to
well-defined spectral features due to spin and orbital excitations. Low-energy
phonons exhibit pronounced Fano anomalies indicative of strong interaction with
the electron system for , but become sharp and symmetric for . The electronic continuum and the marked renormalization of the phonon
lifetime by the onset of magnetic order are highly unusual for Mott insulators
and indicate liquid-like correlations between spins and orbitals.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Theory of orbital state and spin interactions in ferromagnetic titanates
A spin-orbital superexchange Hamiltonian in a Mott insulator with
orbital degeneracy is investigated. More specifically, we focus on a spin
ferromagnetic state of the model and study a collective behavior of orbital
angular momentum. Orbital order in the model occurs in a nontrivial way -- it
is stabilized exclusively by quantum effects through the order-from-disorder
mechanism. Several energetically equivalent orbital orderings are identified.
Some of them are specified by a quadrupole ordering and have no unquenched
angular momentum at low energy. Other states correspond to a noncollinear
ordering of the orbital angular momentum and show the magnetic Bragg peaks at
specific positions. Order parameters are unusually small because of strong
quantum fluctuations. Orbital contribution to the resonant x-ray scattering is
discussed. The dynamical magnetic structure factor in different ordered states
is calculated. Predictions made should help to observe elementary excitations
of orbitals and also to identify the type of the orbital order in ferromagnetic
titanates. Including further a relativistic spin-orbital coupling, we derive an
effective low-energy spin Hamiltonian and calculate a spin-wave spectrum, which
is in good agreement with recent experimental observations in YTiO.Comment: 25 pages, 17 figure
Impurity-induced spin polarization and NMR line broadening in underdoped cuprates
We present a theory of magnetic (S=1) Ni and nonmagnetic Zn impurities in
underdoped cuprates. Both types of impurities are shown to induce S=1/2 moments
on Cu sites in the proximity of the impurity, a process which is intimately
related to the spin gap phenomenon in cuprates. Below a characteristic Kondo
temperature, the Ni spin is partially screened by the Cu moments, resulting in
an effective impurity spin S=1/2. We further analyze the
Ruderman-Kittel-Kasiya-Yosida-type response of planar Cu spins to a
polarization of the effective impurity moments and derive expressions for the
corresponding ^{17}O NMR line broadening. The peculiar aspects of recent
experimental NMR data can be traced back to different spatial characteristics
of Ni and Zn moments as well as to an inherent temperature dependence of local
antiferromagnetic correlations.Comment: PRB B1 01June9
One-dimensional orbital fluctuations and the exotic magnetic properties of YVO
Starting from the Mott insulator picture for cubic vanadates, we derive and
investigate the model of superexchange interactions between V ions, with
nearly degenerate orbitals occupied by two electrons each. The
superexchange interactions are strongly frustrated and demonstrate a strong
interrelation between possible types of magnetic and orbital order. We
elucidate the prominent role played by fluctuations of and orbitals
which generate ferromagnetic superexchange interactions even in the absence of
Hund's exchange. In this limit we find orbital valence bond state which is
replaced either by -type antiferromagnetic order with weak -type orbital
order at increasing Hund's exchange, or instead by -type antiferromagnetic
order when the lattice distortions stabilize -type orbital order. Both
phases are observed in YVO and we argue that a dimerized -type
antiferromagnetic phase with stronger and weaker FM bonds alternating along the
c axis may be stabilized by large spin-orbital entropy at finite temperature.
This suggests a scenario which explains the origin of the exotic -AF order
observed in YVO in the regime of intermediate temperatures and allows one
to specify the necessary ingredients of a more complete future theory.Comment: 23 pages, 15 figure
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