Spin excitations in an ordered Heisenberg magnet are magnons--bosons with spin 1. That may change when frustration and quantum fluctuations suppress the order and restore the spin-rotation symmetry. We show that spin excitations in the $S=1/2$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on kagome are spinons--fermions with spin 1/2. In the ground state the system can be described as a collection of small, heavy pairs of spinons with spin 0. A magnetic excitation of lowest energy amounts to breaking up a pair into two spinons at a cost of $0.06 J$.
We investigate the quantum phase transition from antiferromagnetism ($AF$) to algebraic spin liquid ($ASL$). {\it We propose that spin 1/2 fermionic spinons in the $ASL$ fractionalize into spin 1/2 bosonic spinons and spinless fermions at the quantum critical point ($QCP$) between the $AF$ and the $ASL$}. Condensation of the bosonic spinons leads to the $AF$, where the condensed bosonic spinons are confined with the spinless fermions to form the fermionic spinons. These fermionic spinons are also confined to make antiferromagnons as elementary excitations in the $AF$. {\it Approaching the $QCP…
The search for exotic quantum spin liquid states in simple yet realistic spin models remains a central challenge in the field of frustrated quantum magnetism. Here we consider the canonical nearest-neighbor kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet restricted to a quasi-1D strip consisting entirely of corner-sharing triangles. Using large-scale density matrix renormalization group calculations, we identify in this model an extended gapless quantum phase characterized by central charge $c=2$ and power-law decaying spin and bond-energy correlations which oscillate at tunably incommensurate wave vectors.…
Employing the Jordan-Wigner transformation on a unique path and then making a mean-field treatment of the fermionic Hamiltonian, we semiquantitatively describe the spin-gap states of Heisenberg ladders in a field. The appearance of magnetization plateaux is clarified as a function of the number of legs.
In terms of spinless fermions and spin waves, we describe magnetic properties of a spin-1/2 ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic bond-alternating chain which behaves as a Haldane-gap antiferromagnet. On one hand, we employ the Jordan-Wigner transformation and treat the fermionic Hamiltonian within the Hartree-Fock approximation. On the other hand, we employ the Holstein-Primakoff transformation and modify the conventional spin-wave theory so as to restore the sublattice symmetry. We calculate the excitation gap, the specific heat, the magnetic susceptibility, magnetization curves, and the nuclear s…
The fermion representation for S = 1/2 spins is generalized to spins with arbitrary magnitudes. The symmetry properties of the representation is analyzed where we find that the particle-hole symmetry in the spinon Hilbert space of S =1/2 fermion representation is absent for S > 1/2. As a result, different path integral representations and mean field theories can be formulated for spin models. In particular, we construct a Lagrangian with restored particle-hole symmetry, and apply the corresponding mean field theory to one dimensional (1D) S = 1 and S = 3/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg models, …
We investigate the ground state and finite-temperature properties of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnet on an infinite octa-kagome lattice by utilizing state-of-the-art tensor network-based numerical methods. It is shown that the ground state has a vanishing local magnetization and possesses a $1/2$-magnetization plateau with up-down-up-up spin configuration. A quantum phase transition at the critical coupling ratio $J_{d}/J_{t}=0.6$ is found. When $0<J_{d}/J_{t}<0.6$, the system is in a valence bond state, where an obvious zero-magnetization plateau is observed, implying a gapful spin ex…
In terms of spinless fermions via the Jordan-Wigner transformation along a snake-like path and spin waves modified so as to restore the sublattice symmetry, we investigate static and dynamic properties of two-leg antiferromagnetic Heisenberg ladders. The specific heat is finely reproduced by the spinless fermions, whereas the magnetic susceptibility is well described by the modified spin waves. The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate is discussed in detail with particular emphasis on its novel field dependence.
The system of interacting spinless fermions hopping on a two-leg ladder in the presence of an external magnetic field is shown to possess a long range order: the bond density wave or the staggered flux phase. In both cases the elementary excitations are $Z_2$ kinks and carry one half the charge of an electron.
In this paper we discuss the construction and the dynamics of vortex-like topological spin excitations in the Schwinger-boson description of Heisenberg antiferromagnets in two dimensions. The topological spin excitations are Dirac fermions (with gap) when spin value $S$ is a half-integer. Experimental and theoretical implications of these excitations are being investigated.
Neutron inelastic scattering measurements have been performed in order to investigate the magnetic excitations in the quasi-1D Ising-like antiferromagnet TlCoCl$_3$. We observed the magnetic excitation, which corresponds to the spin-wave excitation continuum corresponding to the domain-wall pair excitation in the 1D Ising-like antiferromagnet. According to the Ishimura-Shiba theory, we analyzed the observed spin-wave excitation, and the exchange constant $2J$ and the anistropy $ε$ were estimated as 14.7 meV and 0.14 in TlCoCl$_3$, respectively.
Magnetic excitations and spin correlations near the interface of two spin-$\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnets are considered using the spin-wave approximation. When the interaction between boundary spins differs essentially from exchange constants inside the antiferromagnets, quasi-two-dimensional spin waves appear in the near-boundary region. They eject bulk magnons from this region, thereby dividing the antiferromagnets into areas with different magnetic excitations. The decreased dimensionality of the near-boundary modes leads to amplified nearest-neighbor spin correlations in the interfa…
We extend recently proposed variational coupled-cluster method to describe excitation states of quantum antiferromagnetic bipartite lattices. We reproduce the spin-wave excitations (i.e., magnons with spin $\pm 1$). In addition, we obtain a new, spin-zero excitation (magnon-density waves) which has been missing in all existing spin-wave theories. Within our approximation, this magnon-density-wave excitation has a nonzero energy gap in a cubic lattice and is gapless in a square lattice, similar to those charge-density-wave excitations (plasmons) in quantum electron gases.
Considering experimental results obtained on three prototype compounds, TMMC, CsCoCl3 (or CsCoBr3) and Cu Benzoate, we discuss the importance of non-linear excitations in the physics of quantum (and classical) antiferromagnetic spin chains.
We map the problem of the orbital excitation (orbiton) in a 2D antiferromagnetic and ferroorbital ground state onto a problem of a hole in 2D antiferromagnet. The orbiton turns out to be coupled to magnons and can only be mobile on a strongly renormalized scale by dressing with magnetic excitations. We show that this leads to a dispersion relation reflecting the two-site unit cell of the antiferromagnetic background, in contrast to the predictions based on a mean-field approximation and linear orbital-wave theory.
Antiferromagnetism couples electron spin to its orbital motion, thus allowing excitation of electron-spin transitions by an ac electric rather than magnetic field - with absorption, exceeding that of common electron spin resonance at least by four orders of magnitude. In addition to potential applications in spin electronics, this phenomenon may be used as a spectroscopy to study antiferromagnetic materials of interest - from chromium to borocarbides, cuprates, iron pnictides, and organic and heavy fermion conductors.
We consider a two dimensional itinerant antiferromagnet near a quantum critical point. We show that, contrary to conventional wisdom, fermionic excitations in the ordered state are not the usual Fermi liquid quasiparticles. Instead, down to very low frequencies, the fermionic self energy varies as $ω^{2/3}$. This non-Fermi liquid behavior originates in the coupling of fermions to the longitudinal spin susceptibility $χ_{\parallel}(q, Ω)$ in which the order-induced ``gap'' in the spectrum at $q=0$ dissolves into the Landau damping term at $v_F q >Ω$. The transverse spin fluctuations obey $z=1$ …
We show that despite the absence of a Hopf term and zero Berry phase terms, the N`eel ordered phase of 2+1 D quantum antiferromagnets have spin 1/2 excitations, i.e. spinons. The spinons are skyrmion excitations of a topological nature. Since skyrmion gap is proportional to the spin stiffness, quantum criticality corresponds to skyrmion gap collapse. We speculate that skyrmions are relevant at criticality and are, perhaps, related to recent suggestions of critical fractionalization.
A purely fermionic representation is introduced for the ferromagnetic Kondo lattice model which allows conventional diagrammatic tools to be employed to study correlation effects. Quantum 1/S corrections to magnon excitations are investigated using a systematic inverse-degeneracy expansion scheme which incorporates correlation effects in the form of self-energy and vertex corrections, while explicitly preserving the continuous spin-rotation symmetry. Magnon self-energy is studied in the full range of interaction strength, and shown to result in strong magnon damping and anomalous softening for…
We investigate the zero-temperature phase diagram of the one-dimensional S=1 Heisenberg antiferromagnet with single-ion anisotropy. By employing high-order series expansions and quantum Monte Carlo simulations we obtain accurate estimates for the critical points separating different phases in the quantum phase diagram. Additionally, excitation spectra and gaps are obtained.
We performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements on a polycrystalline sample of a classical kagome antiferromagnet NaBa$_{2}$Mn$_{3}$F$_{11}$ to investigate the possibility of a dispersionless zero-energy excitation associated with rotation of spins along the chains. The observed spectra indeed exhibit such an excitation with strong intensity at low energy, as well as dispersive excitations with weak intensity at high energy. Combining the measurements with calculations from linear spin-wave theory reveals that NaBa$_{2}$Mn$_{3}$F$_{11}$ is a good realization of the classical kagome anti…
The efficiency of ultrafast excitation of spins in antiferromagnetic $\mathrm{α-Fe_{2}O_{3}}$ using nearly single-cycle THz pulse is studied as a function of the polarization of the THz pulse and the sample temperature. Above the Morin point the most efficient excitation is achieved when the magnetic field of the THz pulse is perpendicular to the antiferromagnetically coupled spins. Using the experimental results and equations of motion for spins, we show that the mechanism of the spin excitation above and below the Morin point relies on magnetic-dipole interaction of the THz magnetic field wi…
The low-temperature magnetic excitations of the two-dimensional spin-5/2 square-lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet Rb2MnF4 have been probed using pulsed inelastic neutron scattering. In addition to dominant sharp peaks identified with one-magnon excitations, a relatively weak continuum scattering is also observed at higher energies. This is attributed to neutron scattering by pairs of magnons and the observed intensities are consistent with predictions of spin wave theory.
Motivated by recent experiments on the material Ba_3NiSb_2O_9 we consider a spin-one quantum antiferromagnet on a triangular lattice with the Heisenberg bilinear and biquadratic exchange interactions and a single-ion anisotropy. Using a fermionic "triplon" representation for spins, we study the phase diagram within mean field theory. In addition to a fully gapped spin-liquid ground state, we find a state where one gapless triplon mode with Fermi surface coexists with d + id topological pairing of the other triplons. Despite the existence of a Fermi surface, this ground state has fully gapped b…
muSR and 7Li NMR relaxation measurements in frustrated two-dimensional S=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnets on a square lattice are presented. It is found that both in Li2VOSiO4 and Li2VOGeO4, spin dynamics at frequencies well below the Heisenberg exchange frequency are present. These dynamics are associated with the motions of walls separating coexisting collinear domains with a magnetic wave vector rotated by 90 degrees.
We study the longitudinal excitations of quantum antiferromagnets on a triangular lattice by a recently proposed microscopic many-body approach based on magnon-density waves. We calculate the full longitudinal excitation spectra of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model for a general spin quantum number in the isotropic limit. Similar to the square lattice model, we find that, at the center of the first hexagonal Brillouin zone $Γ(\mathbf q=0)$ and at the magnetic ordering wavevectors $\pm[\mathbf Q= (4π/3,0)]$, the excitation spectra become gapless in the thermodynamic limit, due to the slow,…
We develop a general theory of a boson decomposition for both local and non-local interactions in lattice fermion models which allows us to describe fermionic degrees of freedom and collective charge and spin excitations on equal footing. An efficient perturbation theory in the interaction of the fermionic and the bosonic degrees of freedom is constructed in so-called dual variables in the path-integral formalism. This theory takes into account all local correlations of fermions and collective bosonic modes and interpolates between itinerant and localized regimes of electrons in solids. The ze…
We find using Monte Carlo simulations of the spin-1/2 2D square lattice nearest neighbour quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet that the high energy peak locations at (pi,0) and (pi/2,pi/2) differ by about 6%, (pi/2,pi/2) being the highest. This is a deviation from linear spin wave theory which predicts equal magnon energies at these points.
Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the oxygen $K$-edge has recently accessed multi-spinon excitations in the one-dimensional antiferromagnet (1D-AFM) \sco, where four-spinon excitations are resolved separately from the two-spinon continuum. This technique, therefore, provides new opportunities to study fractionalized quasiparticle excitations in doped 1D-AFMs. To this end, we carried out exact diagonalization studies of the doped $t$-$J$ model and provided predictions for oxygen $K$-edge RIXS experiments on doped 1D-AFMs. We show that the RIXS spectra are rich, containing distinct t…
The ground state of the S=1/2 Heisenberg antiferomagnet on kagome can be viewed as a collection of fermionic spinons bound into small, heavy singlet pairs. Low-energy magnetic excitations in this system correspond to breaking the pairs into individual spinons. We calculate the structure factor for inelastic neutron scattering from independent spinon pairs.
Evolution of the hole spectral function along the Gamma-(pi,pi) cut is studied in the antiferromagnetic state of the Hubbard model. The kink in the calculated hole dispersion, the sharp spectral-weight transfer between the branches, and the drastically suppressed coherent spectral weight near k=(0,0), as observed recently in the high-resolution ARPES studies of cuprate antiferromagnets, are shown to be strongly enhanced by finite-U double-occupancy effects. Together with the anomalous spin-wave dispersion observed earlier in high-resolution neutron-scattering studies, the present study provide…
We present the ultralow-temperature specific heat and thermal conductivity measurements on single crystals of triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Na$_2$BaCo(PO$_4$)$_2$, which was recently argued to host itinerant fermionic excitations, like a quantum spin liquid, above its antiferromagnetic phase transition temperature $T_{\rm N}$ = 0.148 K. In specific heat measurements, we confirm the peaks due to antiferromagnetic ordering when magnetic field $μ_0 H \leq$ 1 T, roughly consistent with previous work [N. Li $et$ $al.$, Nat. Commun. 11, 4216 (2020)]. However, in thermal conductivity measurement…
The spin-wave excitation spectrum, the magnetization, and the Néel temperature for the quasi-two-dimensional spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model with compass-model interaction in the plane proposed for iridates are calculated in the random phase approximation. The spin-wave spectrum agrees well with data of Lanczos diagonalization. We find that the Neel temperature is enhanced by the compass-model interaction and is close to the experimental value for Ba2IrO4.
We present a comprehensive study of strain-induced topological magnon phase transitions in insulating three-dimensional (3D) topological chiral antiferromagnets on the kagome-lattice. We show that by applying (100) uniaxial strain, 3D insulating antiferromagnetic Weyl magnons (WMs) manifest as an intermediate phase between a strain-induced 3D magnon Chern insulator (MCI) with integer Chern numbers and a 3D trivial magnon insulator with zero Chern number. In addition, we show that strain suppresses the topological thermal Hall conductivity of magnons in these systems. Due to the similarity betw…
$2+1$D bosonic topological orders can be characterized by the $S,T$ matrices that encode the statistics of topological excitations. In particular, the $S,T$ matrices can be used to systematically obtain the gapped boundaries of bosonic topological orders. Such an approach, however, does not naively apply to fermionic topological orders (FTOs). In this work, we propose a systematic approach to obtain the gapped boundaries of $2+1$D abelian FTOs. The main trick is to construct a bosonic extension in which the fermionic excitation is "condensed" to form the associated FTOs. Here we choose the par…
Magnetic excitations in the spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ distorted kagome lattice antiferromagnet Cs$_2$Cu$_3$SnF$_{12}$, which has an ordered ground state owing to the strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, were studied using inelastic neutron scattering. Although the spin-wave dispersion can be qualitatively understood in terms of linear spin-wave theory (LSWT), the excitation energies are renormalized by a factor of approximately 0.6 from those calculated by LSWT, almost irrespective of the momentum transfer. This inadequacy of LSWT, which is attributed to quantum fluctuations, provides evidence o…
Ground state and low-energy excitations of the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnet CuSe$_2$O$_5$ were experimentally studied using bulk magnetization, neutron diffraction, muon spin relaxation and antiferromagnetic resonance measurements. Finite interchain interactions promote long-range antiferromagnetic order below $T_N=17$ K. The derived spin canted structure is characterized by the magnetic propagation vector $\mathbf{k}=(1, 0, 0)$ and the reduced magnetic moment $\bm{m}=[0.13(7), 0.50(1), 0.00(8)]μ_B$. The values of the magnetic anisotropies determined from the field and angular depende…
We demonstrate that local modulations of magnetic couplings have a profound effect on the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate of optical magnons in a wide class of antiferromagnets in which gapped excitations coexist with acoustic spin waves. In a two-dimensional collinear antiferromagnet with an easy-plane anisotropy, the disorder-induced relaxation rate of the gapped mode, Gamma_imp=Gamma_0+A(TlnT)^2, greatly exceeds the magnon-magnon damping, Gamma_m-m=BT^5, negligible at low temperatures. We measure the lifetime of gapped magnons in a prototype XY antiferromagnet BaNi2(PO4)2 usin…
In this paper, by using two dimensional (2D) Hubbard models with pi-flux phase and that on a hexagonal lattice as examples, we explore spin-charge-separated solitons in nodal antiferromagnetic (AF) insulator - an AF order with massive Dirac fermionic excitations (see detail in the paper). We calculate fermion zero modes and induced quantum numbers on solitons (half skyrmions) in the continuum limit, which are similar to that in the quasi one-dimensional conductor polyacetylene (CH)x and that in topological band insulator. In particular, we find some novel phenomena : thanks to an induced stagg…
Inelastic neutron scattering is used to investigate magnetic excitations in the quasi-one-dimensional quantum spin-liquid system Cu2Cl4 D8C4SO2. Contrary to previously conjectured models that relied on bond-alternating nearest neighbor interactions in the spin chains, the dominant interactions are actually next-nearest-neighbor in-chain antiferromagnetic couplings. The appropriate Heisenberg Hamiltonian is equivalent to that of a S = 1/2 4-leg spin-tube with almost perfect one dimensionality and no bond alternation. A partial geometric frustration of rung interactions induces a small incommens…
Based on our recently proposed magnon-density-waves using the microscopic many-body approach, we investigate the longitudinal excitations in quantum antiferromagnets by including the second order corrections in the large-$s$ expansion. The longitudinal excitation spectra for a general spin quantum number using the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg Hamiltonian are obtained for various spin lattice models. For bipartite lattice models, we find that the numerical results for the energy gaps for the longitudinal modes at $q\to0$ and the magnetic ordering wavevector $\bf Q$ are reduced by about $40-50\%…
In NaNiO2, Ni3+ ions form a quasi two dimensional triangular lattice of S = 1=2 spins. The magnetic order observed below 20K has been described as an A type antiferromagnet with ferro- magnetic layers weakly coupled antiferromagnetically. We studied the magnetic excitations with the electron spin resonance for frequencies 1-20 cm-1, in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The bulk of the results are interpreted in terms of a phenomenological model involving bi-axial anisotropy for the spins: a strong easy-plane term, and a weaker anisotropy within the plane. The direction of the easy plane is constrain…
The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate (1/T1) at the V sites in CaV2O5 was measured. The result was compared with the calculation for the two-leg ladder with the strong-coupling expansion. We found a good agreement on the temperature and magnetic field dependence but a discrepancy between the exchange parameters deduced from 1/T1 and the magnetic susceptibility.
We have computed the quasiparticle wave function corresponding to a hole injected in a triangular antiferromagnet. We have taken into account multi-magnon contributions within the self consistent Born approximation. We have found qualitative differences, under sign reversal of the integral transfer t, regarding the multi-magnon components and the own existence of the quasiparticle excitations. Such differences are due to the subtle interplay between magnon-assisted and free hopping mechanisms. We conclude that the conventional quasiparticle picture can be broken by geometrical frustration with…
We present detailed measurement of the non-hydrodynamic part of the spin excitation spectrum in the model quasi-1D S=1 antiferromagnet CsNiCl3 by inelastic magnetic neutron scattering. In the better part of the Brillouin zone the effect of the inter-chain coupling is negligible, and spin dynamics reflects that of a single Haldane chain. We find that at q ~< 0.6pi this quantum spin system ceases to support coherent propagating excitation, which gradually turns into a continuum band of states, whose width grows with decreasing q. This finding is consistently verified under different resolution c…
We present a $^{35}$Cl NMR study for spin $S=1/2$ perfect kagome antiferromagnet Ca-kapellasite (CaCu$_{3}$(OH)$_{6}$Cl$_{2}\cdot$0.6H$_{2}$O) with a magnetic transition at $T^{\ast}=7.2$ K. The static magnetic structure in the ground state has been determined to be a chirality-ordered $Q=0$ state, which is selected by a finite Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. The low-energy magnetic excitations in the ordered state are investigated by the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate measurement. We detect a weakly temperature dependent contribution in the magnetic fluctuations perpendicular to the …
We have mapped from the quantum to the classical limit the spin excitation spectrum of the antiferromagnetic spin-1 Heisenberg chain system CsNiCl3 in its paramagnetic phase from T=5 to 200K. Neutron scattering shows that the excitations are resonant and dispersive up to at least T=70K, but broaden considerably with increasing temperature. The dispersion flattens out with increasing temperature as the resonance energy Delta at the antiferromagnetic wave-vector increases and the maximum in the dispersion decreases. The correlation length xi between T=12 and 50K is in agreement with quantum Mont…
We present powder inelastic neutron scattering measurements of the S=1 dimerized antiferromagnet Ba$_3$Mn$_2$O$_8$. The $T=1.4$ K magnetic spectrum exhibits a spin-gap of $Δ\approx 1.0$ meV and a dispersive spectrum with a bandwidth of approximately 1.5 meV. Comparison to coupled dimer models describe the dispersion and scattering intensity accurately and determine the exchange constants in Ba$_3$Mn$_2$O$_8$. The wave vector dependent scattering intensity confirms the proposed S=1 dimer bond. Temperature dependent measurements of the magnetic excitations indicate the presence of both singlet-t…
The spin dynamic of the metallic A-type antiferromagnetic manganites is studied. An effective nearest-neighbour Heisenberg spin wave dispersion is derived from the double exchange model taking into account the superexchange interaction between the core spins. The result of inelastic neutron scattering experiment on ${Nd}_{0.45}{Sr}_{0.55}{Mn} {O}_{3}$ is qualitatively reproduced. Comparing theory with experimental data two main parameters of the model: nearest-neighbour electron transfer amplitude and superexchange coupling between the core spins are estimated.
We present a spin-rotation-invariant Green-function theory for the dynamic spin susceptibility in the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on a stacked honeycomb lattice. Employing a generalized mean-field approximation for arbitrary temperatures, the thermodynamic quantities (two-spin correlation functions, internal energy, magnetic susceptibility, staggered magnetization, N'eel temperature, correlation length) and the spin-excitation spectrum are calculated by solving a coupled system of self-consistency equations for the correlation functions. The temperature dependence of the magnet…
Nearest-neighbor spin correlations are considered near the surface of a semi-infinite spin-$\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a simple cubic lattice. In the spin-wave approximation, the excitation spectrum of this model involves bulk modes -- standing spin waves and a quasi-two-dimensional mode of surface spin waves. These latter excitations eject the bulk excitations from the surface region thus dividing the antiferromagnet into two parts with different excitations. As a result absolute values of the spin correlations near the surface exceed the bulk value. In the surface region, the pat…
By extending our recently proposed magnon-density-waves to low dimensions, we investigate, using a microscopic many-body approach, the longitudinal excitations of the quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1d) and quasi-2d Heisenberg antiferromagnetic systems on a bipartite lattice with a general spin quantum number. We obtain the full energy spectrum of the longitudinal mode as a function of the coupling constants in the original lattice Hamiltonian and find that it always has a non-zero energy gap if the ground state has a long-range order and becomes gapless for the pure isotropic 1d model. The numer…
Elementary quasiparticles in solids such as phonons and magnons occasionally have nontrivial interactions between them, as well as among themselves. As a result, their energy eigenvalues are renormalized, the quasiparticles spontaneously decay into a multi-particle continuum state, or they are hybridized with each other when their energies are close. As discussed in this review, such anomalous features can appear dominantly in quantum magnets but are not, a priori, negligible for magnetic systems with larger spin values and noncollinear magnetic structures. We review the unconventional magneti…
We report on high-field electron spin resonance (ESR) studies of magnetic excitations in the spin-1/2 triangular-lattice antiferromagnet Cs$_2$CuBr$_4$. Frequency-field diagrams of ESR excitations are measured for different orientations of magnetic fields up to 25 T. We show that the substantial zero-field energy gap, $Δ\approx9.5$ K, observed in the low-temperature excitation spectrum of Cs$_2$CuBr$_4$ [Zvyagin $et~al.$, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 077206 (2014)], is present well above $T_N$. Noticeably, the transition into the long-range magnetically ordered phase does not significantly affect the…
The square-lattice quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet displays a pronounced anomaly of unknown origin in its magnetic excitation spectrum. The anomaly manifests itself only for short wavelength excitations propagating along the direction connecting nearest neighbors. Using polarized neutron spectroscopy, we have fully characterized the magnetic fluctuations in the model metal-organic compound CFTD, revealing an isotropic continuum at the anomaly indicative of fractional excitations. A theoretical framework based on the Gutzwiller projection method is developed to explain the origin of the cont…
Using the spin-wave approximation elementary excitations of a semi-infinite two-dimensional $S=\frac12$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet are considered. The spectrum consists of bulk modes -- standing spin waves and a quasi-one-dimensional mode of boundary spin waves. These latter excitations eject bulk modes from two boundary rows of sites, thereby dividing the antiferromagnet into two regions with different dominant excitations. As a result absolute values of nearest-neighbor spin correlations on the edge exceed the bulk value.
