Abstract
It is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally that the spin chirality associated with a noncoplanar spin configuration produces a magneto-optical effect. Numerical study of the two-band Hubbard model on a triangle cluster shows that the optical Hall conductivity is proportional to the spin chirality. The detailed comparative experiments on pyrochlore-type molybdates with (Ising-like moments) and (Heisenberg-like ones) clearly distinguishes the two mechanisms, i.e., spin chirality and spin-orbit interactions. It is concluded that for is dominated by the spin chirality for the dc and the incoherent intraband optical transitions between Mo atoms.
- Received 27 May 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.72.094427
©2005 American Physical Society