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Title: Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet

Abstract

Topological magnons are emergent quantum spin excitations featured by magnon bands crossing linearly at the points dubbed nodes, analogous to fermions in topological electronic systems. Experimental realisation of topological magnons in three dimensions has not been reported so far. Here, by measuring spin excitations (magnons) of a three-dimensional antiferromagnet Cu3TeO6 with inelastic neutron scattering, we provide direct spectroscopic evidence for the coexistence of symmetry-protected Dirac and triply degenerate nodes, the latter involving three-component magnons beyond the Dirac–Weyl framework. Our theoretical calculations show that the observed topological magnon band structure can be well described by the linear-spin-wave theory based on a Hamiltonian dominated by the nearest neighbour exchange interaction J1. As such, we showcase Cu3TeO6 as an example system where Dirac and triply degenerate magnonic nodal excitations coexist, demonstrate an exotic topological state of matter, and provide a fresh ground to explore the topological properties in quantum materials.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [2];  [3];  [3];  [3]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Nanjing Univ. (China). National Lab. of Solid State Microstructures. Dept. of Physics
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). Neutron Scattering Division
  3. Nanjing Univ. (China). National Lab. of Solid State Microstructures. Dept. of Physics; Nanjing Univ. (China). Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Microstructures
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division
OSTI Identifier:
1624107
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; Science & Technology - Other Topics

Citation Formats

Bao, Song, Wang, Jinghui, Wang, Wei, Cai, Zhengwei, Li, Shichao, Ma, Zhen, Wang, Di, Ran, Kejing, Dong, Zhao-Yang, Abernathy, D. L., Yu, Shun-Li, Wan, Xiangang, Li, Jian-Xin, and Wen, Jinsheng. Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05054-2.
Bao, Song, Wang, Jinghui, Wang, Wei, Cai, Zhengwei, Li, Shichao, Ma, Zhen, Wang, Di, Ran, Kejing, Dong, Zhao-Yang, Abernathy, D. L., Yu, Shun-Li, Wan, Xiangang, Li, Jian-Xin, & Wen, Jinsheng. Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05054-2
Bao, Song, Wang, Jinghui, Wang, Wei, Cai, Zhengwei, Li, Shichao, Ma, Zhen, Wang, Di, Ran, Kejing, Dong, Zhao-Yang, Abernathy, D. L., Yu, Shun-Li, Wan, Xiangang, Li, Jian-Xin, and Wen, Jinsheng. Tue . "Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-05054-2. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1624107.
@article{osti_1624107,
title = {Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet},
author = {Bao, Song and Wang, Jinghui and Wang, Wei and Cai, Zhengwei and Li, Shichao and Ma, Zhen and Wang, Di and Ran, Kejing and Dong, Zhao-Yang and Abernathy, D. L. and Yu, Shun-Li and Wan, Xiangang and Li, Jian-Xin and Wen, Jinsheng},
abstractNote = {Topological magnons are emergent quantum spin excitations featured by magnon bands crossing linearly at the points dubbed nodes, analogous to fermions in topological electronic systems. Experimental realisation of topological magnons in three dimensions has not been reported so far. Here, by measuring spin excitations (magnons) of a three-dimensional antiferromagnet Cu3TeO6 with inelastic neutron scattering, we provide direct spectroscopic evidence for the coexistence of symmetry-protected Dirac and triply degenerate nodes, the latter involving three-component magnons beyond the Dirac–Weyl framework. Our theoretical calculations show that the observed topological magnon band structure can be well described by the linear-spin-wave theory based on a Hamiltonian dominated by the nearest neighbour exchange interaction J1. As such, we showcase Cu3TeO6 as an example system where Dirac and triply degenerate magnonic nodal excitations coexist, demonstrate an exotic topological state of matter, and provide a fresh ground to explore the topological properties in quantum materials.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-05054-2},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Tue Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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