Spin-current order in anisotropic triangular antiferromagnets

TL;DR

This paper investigates the instability of a collinear magnetic state in an anisotropic triangular antiferromagnet, revealing a transition to a novel vector chiral phase with unique symmetry and magnetoelectric properties.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a two-magnon bound pair instability leading to a new vector chiral phase in anisotropic triangular antiferromagnets.

Findings

Identification of two-magnon bound pair condensation as the instability mechanism.

Discovery of a vector chiral phase with alternating spin currents and no transverse magnetic order.

The phase exhibits Z_2 symmetry breaking, orbital antiferromagnetism, and a magnetoelectric effect.

Abstract

We analyze instabilities of the collinear up-up-down state of a two-dimensional quantum spin-S spatially anisotropic triangular lattice antiferromagnet in a magnetic field. We find, within large-S approximation, that near the end point of the plateau, the collinear state becomes unstable due to condensation of two-magnon bound pairs rather than single magnons. The two-magnon instability leads to a novel 2D vector chiral phase with alternating spin currents but no magnetic order in the direction transverse to the field. This phase breaks a discrete Z_2 symmetry but preserves a continuous U(1) one of rotations about the field axis. It possesses orbital antiferromagnetism and displays a magnetoelectric effect.