Topological Characterization of Kitaev Spin Nanoribbons with Ordered Flux Configurations

TL;DR

This paper investigates the topological properties of Kitaev quantum spin liquids on one-dimensional honeycomb nanoribbons, analyzing their phase diagrams, flux configurations, and Majorana spinon dispersions to understand their topological phases.

Contribution

It provides a detailed topological characterization of Kitaev spin nanoribbons, including phase diagrams across flux sectors and the impact of edge terminations.

Findings

Identification of topological phases with winding numbers

Observation of phase transitions insensitive or sensitive to flux configurations

Majorana spinon dispersions reflect topological changes

Abstract

We demonstrate topological characterization of $S=\frac{1}{2}$ Kitaev quantum spin liquids on a series of one-dimensional honeycomb nanoribbon lattices with zigzag and armchair terminated edges. We draw their Majorana spinon phase diagrams with varying nearest-neighbor exchange couplings not only at the sector of the ground flux configuration but also at some sectors of excited flux configurations. In the ground states of the zigzag and armchair nanoribbons, there occur a single and multiple phase transitions, respectively, the former and latter of which are insensitive and subject to the background flux configuration, respectively. Topological phases each have a winding number as their invariant. On each phase boundary, the Majorana spinon dispersion relation reflects both of the change in the winding number and the background flux configuration.