Neutron scattering in the proximate quantum spin liquid α-RuCl3
Neutron scattering in the proximate quantum spin liquid α-RuCl3
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DOI：
10.1126/science.aah6015
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发表时间：
2017-06-09
期刊：
影响因子：
56.9
通讯作者：
Nagler, Stephen E.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Banerjee, Arnab;Yan, Jiaqiang;Nagler, Stephen E.
Kitaev量子自旋液体（KQSL）是一种奇异的物质涌现态，表现出马约拉纳费米子和规范通量激发。磁性绝缘体α-RuCl 3被认为实现了接近KQSL。我们使用α-RuCl 3单晶体上的中子散射来重建能量-动量空间中的动力学关联。我们发现了非常不寻常的信号，包括在布里渊区中心周围的大能量间隔上的散射柱，该散射柱随温度变化非常稳定。这一发现是一致的散射马约拉纳激发的KQSL。其他更精细的实验特征可以明显地与理想模型的扰动相关联。我们的研究结果鼓励进一步研究这种原型材料，并可能打开一个窗口，调查相关材料中出现的磁性马约拉纳费米子。
The Kitaev quantum spin liquid (KQSL) is an exotic emergent state of matter exhibiting Majorana fermion and gauge flux excitations. The magnetic insulator alpha-RuCl3 is thought to realize a proximate KQSL. We used neutron scattering on single crystals of alpha-RuCl3 to reconstruct dynamical correlations in energy-momentum space. We discovered highly unusual signals, including a column of scattering over a large energy interval around the Brillouin zone center, which is very stable with temperature. This finding is consistent with scattering from the Majorana excitations of a KQSL. Other, more delicate experimental features can be transparently associated with perturbations to an ideal model. Our results encourage further study of this prototypical material and may open a window into investigating emergent magnetic Majorana fermions in correlated materials.