Abstract
We study an interplay between the orbital degeneracy and the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) giving rise to spin-orbital entangled states in concentrated systems (cooperative Jahn-Teller [JT] effect). As a specific example, we analyze the interaction of electrons occupying triply degenerate single-ion levels with trigonal vibrations (the problem). A more general problem of the electron–lattice interaction involving both tetragonal and trigonal vibrations is also considered. It is shown that the result of such interaction crucially depends on the occupation of levels leading to either the suppression or the enhancement of the JT effect by the SOC.
3 More- Received 3 December 2021
- Revised 14 February 2022
- Accepted 18 May 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.105.205142
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