Magnetic anisotropy in the Kitaev model systems Na2IrO3 and RuCl3
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Physical Review B |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | Full Text |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.064435 |
| Field | Solid matter physics and magnetism |
| Keywords | spin models; magnetism; iridates; Kitaev model |
| Description | We study the ordered moment direction in the extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model relevant to honeycomb lattice magnets with strong spin-orbit coupling. We utilize numerical diagonalization and analyze the exact cluster ground states using a particular set of spin-coherent states, obtaining thereby quantum corrections to the magnetic anisotropy beyond conventional perturbative methods. It is found that the quantum fluctuations strongly modify the moment direction obtained at a classical level and are thus crucial for a precise quantification of the interactions. The results show that the moment direction is a sensitive probe of the model parameters in real materials. Focusing on the experimentally relevant zigzag phases of the model, we analyze the currently available neutron-diffraction and resonant x-ray-diffraction data on Na2IrO3 and RuCl3 and discuss the parameter regimes plausible in these Kitaev-Heisenberg model systems. |
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