Magnetic structures and Z_2 vortices in a non-Abelian gauge model

TL;DR

This paper explores the magnetic structures of a triangular lattice with antiferromagnetic interactions, demonstrating how Z2 vortices can be incorporated into a local SU(2) gauge theory and analyzing their energies.

Contribution

It introduces a framework to fit Z2 magnetic vortices into a local SU(2) gauge theory and proposes simple vortex configurations with energy calculations.

Findings

Z2 vortices can be modeled within an SU(2) gauge theory

Vortex energies are calculated using Abelian gauge model results

Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions may originate from non-Abelian gauge theories

Abstract

The magnetic order of the triangular lattice with antiferromagnetic interactions is described by an SO(3) field and allows for the presence of Z2 magnetic vortices as defects. In this work we show how these Z2 vortices can be fitted into a local SU(2) gauge theory. We propose simple Ansatzes for vortex configurations and calculate their energies using well-known results of the Abelian gauge model. We comment on how Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions could be derived from a non-Abelian gauge theory and speculate on their effect on non trivial configurations.