Orbital-controlled magnetic transition between gapful and gapless phases in the Haldane system with t2g-orbital degeneracy

TL;DR

This study explores how orbital degrees of freedom influence magnetic phases in a t2g-orbital degenerate Hubbard model, revealing an orbital-controlled transition between gapped and gapless phases in the Haldane system.

Contribution

It demonstrates the orbital-controlled transition between gapped and gapless phases in the Haldane system with t2g-orbital degeneracy using numerical analysis.

Findings

Antiferromagnetic phase exhibits a spin gap characteristic of the Haldane system.

Ferromagnetic phase shows gapless orbital excitations.

Orbital degrees of freedom critically influence magnetic phase transitions.

Abstract

In order to clarify a key role of orbital degree of freedom in the spin S=1 Haldane system, we investigate ground-state properties of the t2g-orbital degenerate Hubbard model on the linear chain by using numerical techniques. Increasing the Hund's rule coupling in multi-orbital systems, in general, there occurs a transition from an antiferromagnetic to a ferromagnetic phase. We find that the antiferromagnetic phase is described as the Haldane system with spin gap, while in the ferromagnetic phase, there exists the gapless excitation with respect to orbital degree of freedom. Possible relevance of the present results to actual systems is also discussed.