Global quantum phase diagram and non-Abelian chiral spin liquid in a spin-3/2 square lattice antiferromagnet

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of a non-Abelian chiral spin liquid in a spin-3/2 square lattice antiferromagnet, revealing a new route to fractionalized quantum phases in higher spin systems through numerical simulations.

Contribution

It demonstrates the emergence of a non-Abelian chiral spin liquid in a spin-3/2 model, expanding the understanding of quantum spin liquids beyond spin-1/2 systems.

Findings

Identification of a non-Abelian chiral spin liquid phase

Support for the bosonic Read-Rezayi state with Fibonacci anyons

Phase diagram including magnetic orders and spin liquid

Abstract

Since strong quantum fluctuations are essential for the emergence of quantum spin liquids, there have been extensive exploration and identification of spin liquid candidates in spin-$1/2$ systems, while such activities are rare in higher spin systems. Here we report an example of non-Abelian chiral spin liquid emerging in spin-$3/2$ Heisenberg model on a square lattice. By tuning Heisenberg exchange interaction and scalar chirality interaction, we map out a quantum phase diagram enclosing three conventional magnetic orders and a chiral spin liquid based on density matrix renormalization group studies. The nature of the spin liquid is identified as a long-sought bosonic version of Read-Rezayi state that supports non-Abelian Fibonacci anyonic statistics, identified by the ground state entanglement spectrum. Significantly, we establish that the non-Abelian CSL emerges through the enlarged local degrees of freedom and enhanced quantum fluctuations near the classical phase boundaries of competing magnetic orders. Our numerical discovery of an exotic quantum spin liquid in spin-$3/2$ system suggests a new route for discovering fractionalized quantum phases in frustrated higher spin magnetic compounds.