Clustering of Topological Charges in a Kagome Classical Spin Liquid

Tomonari Mizoguchi (1) , L.D.C. Jaubert (2, 3) , Masafumi Udagawa (4)

1 Department of Physics, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo
2 Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
3 LOMA - Laboratoire Ondes et Matière d'Aquitaine
4 Department of Physics [Tokyo]

Fractionalization is a ubiquitous phenomenon in topological states of matter. In this work, we study the collective behavior of fractionalized topological charges and their instabilities, through the J1-J2-J3 Ising model on a kagome lattice. This model can be mapped onto a Hamiltonian of interacting topological charges under the constraint of Gauss’ law. We find that the recombination of topological charges gives rise to a yet unexplored classical spin liquid. This spin liquid is characterized by an extensive residual entropy, as well as the formation of hexamers of same-sign topological charges. The emergence of hexamers is reflected by a half-moon signal in the magnetic structure factor, which provides a signature of this new spin liquid in elastic neutron-scattering experiments. To study this phase, a worm algorithm has been developed which does not require the usual divergence-free condition.

Domaines: Mécanique statistique [cond-mat.stat-mech]; Electrons fortement corrélés [cond-mat.str-el]

Tomonari Mizoguchi, L.D.C. Jaubert, Masafumi Udagawa. Clustering of Topological Charges in a Kagome Classical Spin Liquid. Physical Review Letters, 2017, 119, pp.077207. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.077207⟩. ⟨hal-01549582⟩