Abstract
The generalized Holstein-Primakoff transformation is used to develop a quantum flavor wave theory for spin systems with orbital degeneracy. Elementary excitations of ordered ground states consist of spin, orbital, and spin-orbital waves. Spin and spin-orbital waves couple to each other due to orbital anisotropy and Hund’s rule, resulting in modes observable by inelastic neutron scattering. In the limit, flavor waves are dispersionless along one or more directions, and give rise to quantum fluctuations of reduced dimensionality.
- Received 30 April 1999
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.60.6584
©1999 American Physical Society