Block orbital-selective Mott insulators: a spin excitation analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzes the spin excitations in block-magnetic states of orbital-selective Mott insulators, revealing unique dispersive and dispersionless modes, and offers insights for experimental detection and material realization.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of spin excitations in block-magnetic states using advanced models and methods, highlighting features not captured by existing spin Hamiltonians.

Findings

Development of an acoustic spin-wave mode.

Spin-wave bandwidth depends on magnetic island size.

Presence of optical, dispersionless spin excitation modes.

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the spin excitations - as measured by the dynamical spin structure factor $S(q,\omega)$ - of the so-called block-magnetic state of low-dimensional orbital-selective Mott insulators. We realize this state via both a multi-orbital Hubbard model and a generalized Kondo-Heisenberg Hamiltonian. Due to various competing energy scales present in the models, the system develops periodic ferromagnetic islands of various shapes and sizes, which are antiferromagnetically coupled. The 2$\times$2 particular case was already found experimentally in the ladder material BaFe$_2$Se$_3$ that becomes superconducting under pressure. Here we discuss the electronic density as well as Hubbard and Hund coupling dependence of $S(q,\omega)$ using density matrix renormalization group method. Several interesting features were identified: (1) An acoustic (dispersive spin-wave) mode develops. (2) The spin-wave bandwidth establishes a new energy scale that is strongly dependent on the size of the magnetic island and becomes abnormally small for large clusters. (3) Optical (dispersionless spin excitation) modes are present for all block states studied here. In addition, a variety of phenomenological spin Hamiltonians have been investigated but none matches entirely our results that were obtained primarily at intermediate Hubbard $U$ strengths. Our comprehensive analysis provides theoretical guidance and motivation to crystal growers to search for appropriate candidate materials to realize the block states, and to neutron scattering experimentalists to confirm the exotic dynamical magnetic properties unveiled here, with a rich mixture of acoustic and optical features.