Abstract
Motivated by recent numerical discovery of a gapped spin liquid phase in spin- triangular-lattice Heisenberg model, we classify symmetric spin liquids on triangular lattice in the Abrikosov-fermion representation. We find 20 phases with distinct spinon symmetry quantum numbers, eight of which have their counterparts in the Schwinger-boson representation. Among them we identify two promising candidates (#1 and #20), which can realize a gapped spin liquid with up to next nearest neighbor mean-field amplitudes. We analyze their neighboring magnetic orders and valence bond solid patterns, and find one state (#20) that is connected to 120-degree Neel order by a continuous quantum phase transition. We also identify gapped nematic spin liquids in the neighborhood of the symmetric states and find three promising candidates (#1, #6, and #20).
- Received 24 May 2015
- Revised 16 March 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.93.165113
©2016 American Physical Society