1. Cobalt-Based Pyroxenes: A New Playground for Kitaev Physics and Ising Model Realization
- Author
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Maksimov, Pavel A., Ushakov, Alexey V., Gubkin, Andey F., Redhammer, Günther J., Winter, Stephen M., Kolesnikov, Alexander I., Santos, Antonio M. dos, Gai, Zheng, McGuire, Michael A., Podlesnyak, Andrey, and Streltsov, Sergey V.
- Subjects
Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons ,Condensed Matter - Materials Science - Abstract
Recent advances in the study of cobaltites have unveiled their potential as a promising platform for realizing Kitaev physics in honeycomb systems and the Ising model in weakly coupled chain materials. In this manuscript, we explore the magnetic properties of pyroxene SrCoGe$_2$O$_6$ using a combination of neutron scattering, {\it ab initio} methods, and linear spin-wave theory. Through careful examination of inelastic neutron scattering powder spectra, we propose a modified Kitaev model to accurately describe the twisted chains of edge-sharing octahedra surrounding Co$^{2+}$ ions. The extended Kitaev-Heisenberg model, including a significant anisotropic bond-dependent exchange term with $K/|J|=0.96$, is identified as the key descriptor of the magnetic interactions in SrCoGe$_2$O$_6$. Furthermore, our heat capacity measurements reveal an effect of an external magnetic field (approximately 13~T) which shifts the system from a fragile antiferromagnetic ordering with $T_{\mathrm{N}}=9$~K to a field-induced state. We argue that pyroxenes, particularly those modified by substituting Ge with Si and its less extended $p$ orbitals, emerge as a novel platform for the Kitaev model. This opens up possibilities for advancing our understanding of Kitaev physics., Comment: 11 + 2 pages, 7 + 3 figures
- Published
- 2024
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