Heat conduction in magnetic insulators via hybridization of acoustic phonons and spin-flip excitations

Journal Article · 06 April 2025 · Physical Review Research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L022007 · OSTI ID:2549475

Pocs, Christopher A.; Leahy, Ian A.; Xing, Jie; Choi, Eun Sang; Sefat, Athena S.; Hermele, Michael ; Lee, Minhyea

We present a comprehensive study on the longitudinal magnetothermal transport in a paramagnetic effective spin-1/2 magnetic insulator ${\mathrm{CsYbSe}}_2$ , by introducing a minimal model requiring only Zeeman splitting and magnetoelastic coupling. We use it to argue that hybridized excitations—formed from acoustic phonons and localized spin-flip-excitations across the Zeeman gap of the crystal electric field ground doublet—are responsible for a nonmonotonic field dependence of longitudinal thermal conductivity. Beyond highlighting a starring role for phonons, our results raise the prospect of universal magnetothermal transport phenomena in paramagnetic insulators that originate from simple features shared across many systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

• Research Organization: The Regents of the University of Colorado d/b/a University of Colorado
• Sponsoring Organization: Basic Energy Sciences; National Science Foundation; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Office of Science; U.S. Department of Energy; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); University of Colorado Boulder
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0014415; SC0021377
• OSTI ID: 2549475
• Journal Information: Physical Review Research, Journal Name: Physical Review Research Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 7; ISSN 2643-1564; ISSN PPRHAI
• Publisher: American Physical SocietyCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English