Frustrated magnetism and resonating valence bond physics in two-dimensional kagome-like magnets

We explore the phase diagram and the low-energy physics of three Heisenberg antiferromagnets which, like the kagome lattice, are networks of corner-sharing triangles but contain two sets of inequivalent short-distance resonance loops. We use a combination of exact diagonalization, analytical strong-coupling theories, and resonating valence bond approaches, and scan through the ratio of the two inequivalent exchange couplings. In one limit, the lattices effectively become bipartite, while at the opposite limit heavily frustrated nets emerge. In between, competing tunneling processes result in short-ranged spin correlations, a manifold of low-lying singlets (which can be understood as localized bound states of magnetic excitations), and the stabilization of valence bond crystals with resonating building blocks.Comment: Published versio

China’s rise in a liberal world order in transition – introduction to the FORUM

In a time of great uncertainty about the future and resilience of the liberal world order this Forum focuses on China’s rise and interplay with the foundations of that liberal order. The key question is the extent to and variegated ways in which China - with its (re)ascendance to power and potential global leadership – is adapting to and perhaps even strengthening liberal institutions and rules of the game, confronting them, or developing alternative paths. In this introduction to the Forum we advance three key points based on the contributions. First, contrasting the orthodox binary scenarios of either inevitable conflict or co-optation offered in the mainstream IR debate, the Forum highlights the possibility of a third scenario of China’s interplay with the liberal world and its key actors, institutions, and rules. A hybrid and variegated scenario that entails both conflict and adaptation, differently entangled in different issue areas. Second, it stresses the need to conceptualize and empirically comprise the essentially interlinked nature of domestic state-society models and the global political economy. Third, we argue for a perspective that incorporates underlying economic and social structures and the power relations embedded therein

Orbital effects in manganites

In this paper I give a short review of some properties of the colossal magnetoresistance manganites, connected with the orbital degrees of freedom. Ions Mn{3+}, present in most of these compounds, have double orbital degeneracy and are strong Jahn-Teller ions, causing structural distortions and orbital ordering. Mechanisms leading to such ordering are shortly discussed, and the role of orbital degrees of freedom in different parts of the phase diagram of manganites is described. Special attention is paid to the properties of low-doped systems (doping 0.1 - 0.25), to overdoped systems (x > 0.5), and to the possibility of a novel type of orbital ordering in optimally doped ferromagnetic metallic manganites.Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures, to be published in J. Mod. Phys.

Towards the M(atrix) model action in an arbitrary 11D supergravity background. Progress report

We are searching for the action principle for multiple M0-brane (multiple M-wave or mM0) system starting from the mM0 equations of motion obtained in the frame of superembedding approach. Surprisingly, the way from these equations to the action happens to be hampered by a problem which suggests a possible generalization of the action principle which we call "hierarchical action principle".Comment: 4 pages, iopams style, contribution to the ERE 2010 Proceedings, to be published in J.phys. Conf. Se

Spin-orbital frustrations and anomalous metallic state in iron-pnictide superconductors

We develop an understanding of the anomalous metal state of the parent compounds of recently discovered iron based superconductors starting from a strong coupling viewpoint, including orbital degrees of freedom. On the basis of an intermediate-spin (S=1) state for the Fe^{2+} ions, we derive a Kugel-Khomskii spin-orbital Hamiltonian for the active t_{2g} orbitals. It turns out to be a highly complex model with frustrated spin and orbital interactions. We compute its classical phase diagrams and provide an understanding for the stability of the various phases by investigating its spin-only and orbital-only limits. The experimentally observed spin-stripe state is found to be stable over a wide regime of physical parameters and can be accompanied by three different types of orbital orders. Of these the orbital-ferro and orbital-stripe orders are particularly interesting since they break the in-plane lattice symmetry -- a robust feature of the undoped compounds. We compute the magnetic excitation spectra for the effective spin Hamiltonian, observing a strong reduction of the ordered moment, and point out that the proposed orbital ordering pattern can be measured in resonant X-ray diffraction.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure

A Potts model for the distortion transition in LaMnO3_3

The Jahn-Teller distortive transition of \lmo is described by a modified 3-state Potts model. The interactions between the three possible orbits depends both on the orbits and their relative orientation on the lattice. Values of the two exchange parameters which are chosen to give the correct low temperature phase and the correct value for the transition temperature are shown to be consistent with microscopy theory. The model predicts a first order transitions and also a value for the entropy above the transition in good agreement with experiment. The theory with the same parameters also predicts the temperature dependence of the order parameter of orbital ordering agreeing well with published experimental results. Finally, the type of the transition is shown to be close to one of the most disordered phases of the generalised Potts model. The short range order found experimentally above the transition is investigated by this model.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures and no tables. Re-submitted to Phys. Rev.