Electrical Control of Magnetism in Kitaev Materials
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Challenges Theme
Open Challenge
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Jeffrey G. Rau
Proposal
A fascinating class of frustrated magnetic systems are Kitaev materials, typically composed of heavy transition metals, that realize Kitaev’s honeycomb model and its variants; they have been the focus of recent work due to their potential for realizing quantum spin liquids. We aim to explore how applied fields can be used to control the magnetic states of the model. Making use of various analytical and computational techniques, we map out a phase diagram of the model under applied magnetic and electric fields. Numerical methods that simulate physical processes, like heat-bath simulated annealing, are particularly effective at determining the ground state energy. These calculations reveal a sequence of highly ordered phases, which are unsupported by the pure Kitaev model. We extend our exploration to the generalized Kitaev model, useful for describing materials like RuCl3, and find this behaviour to persist in this limit. A phase diagram of the Kitaev model under applied magnetic and electric fields will be presented. By comparing calculations with experimental results and estimating electric field coupling parameters, we identify a window of the electric field inducing this sequence of highly ordered phases.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
Electrical Control of Magnetism in Kitaev Materials
A fascinating class of frustrated magnetic systems are Kitaev materials, typically composed of heavy transition metals, that realize Kitaev’s honeycomb model and its variants; they have been the focus of recent work due to their potential for realizing quantum spin liquids. We aim to explore how applied fields can be used to control the magnetic states of the model. Making use of various analytical and computational techniques, we map out a phase diagram of the model under applied magnetic and electric fields. Numerical methods that simulate physical processes, like heat-bath simulated annealing, are particularly effective at determining the ground state energy. These calculations reveal a sequence of highly ordered phases, which are unsupported by the pure Kitaev model. We extend our exploration to the generalized Kitaev model, useful for describing materials like RuCl3, and find this behaviour to persist in this limit. A phase diagram of the Kitaev model under applied magnetic and electric fields will be presented. By comparing calculations with experimental results and estimating electric field coupling parameters, we identify a window of the electric field inducing this sequence of highly ordered phases.