Majorana Landau-level Raman spectroscopy

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Brent Perreault - , University of Minnesota - College of Science and Engineering (Author)
  • Stephan Rachel - , Chair of Theoretical Solid State Physics, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Princeton University (Author)
  • F. J. Burnell - , University of Minnesota - College of Science and Engineering (Author)
  • Johannes Knolle - , University of Cambridge (Author)

Abstract

The unambiguous experimental detection of quantum spin liquids and, in particular, of the long-sought Kitaev quantum spin liquid (KQSL) with its Majorana fermion excitations remains an outstanding challenge. One of the major obstacles is the absence of signatures that definitively characterize this phase. Here, we propose the Landau levels known to form in the Majorana excitation spectrum of the KQSL when certain strain fields are applied as a direct signature of Majorana fermions with Dirac-like dispersion. In particular, we show that the Majorana Landau level quantization of strained films of the KQSL can be directly probed by Raman spectroscopy. Such experiments are feasible in thin films of α-RuCl3, which are a promising place to search for the KQSL.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number184429
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume95
Issue number18
Publication statusPublished - 25 May 2017
Peer-reviewedYes