Phenomenological approach to a hyperkagome spin liquid: Emergent gauge fields and spinons

Yuan Wan and Yong Baek Kim
Phys. Rev. B 94, 224401 – Published 1 December 2016

Abstract

A number of experiments on the hyperkagome iridate, Na4Ir3O8, suggest existence of a gapless quantum spin liquid state at low temperature. Circumventing the slave-particle approach commonly used in theoretical analyses of frustrated magnets, we provide a more intuitive, albeit more phenomenological, construction of a quantum spin liquid state for the hyperkagome Heisenberg model. An effective monomer-dimer model on the hyperkagome lattice is proposed à la Hao and Tchernyshyov's approach cultivated from the Husimi cactus model. Employing an arrow representation for the monomer-dimer model, we obtain a compact U(1) gauge theory with a finite density of fermionic spinons on the hyperoctagon lattice. The resulting theory and its mean-field treatment are consistent with previous slave-particle construction of a quantum spin liquid state on the hyperkagome lattice. Our results offer novel insights into the emergence of spinon Fermi surfaces and useful predictions for future experiments.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
1 More
  • Received 16 August 2016
  • Revised 1 November 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.224401

©2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Yuan Wan1 and Yong Baek Kim1,2,3

  • 1Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 2Y5, Canada
  • 2Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
  • 3Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Quantum Materials Program, Toronto, Ontario MSG 1Z8, Canada

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 22 — 1 December 2016

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review B

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×