In experiments and applications usually the spin magnetic moment of magnons is considered. In this Paper we identify an additional degree of freedom of magnons: an \emph{orbital} magnetic moment brought about by spin-orbit coupling.Our microscopic theory uncovers that spin magnetization MS and orbital magnetization MO are independent quantities. They are not necessarily collinear; thus, even when the total spin moment is compensated due to antiferromagnetism (MS=0), MO may be nonzero. This scenario of orbital weak ferromagnetism is realized in paradigmatic kagome antiferromagnets with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We demonstrate that magnets exhibiting a magnonic orbital moment are omnipresent and propose transport experiments for probing it.
@article{arxiv.2006.11107,
title = {Orbital Magnetic Moment of Magnons},
author = {Robin R. Neumann and Alexander Mook and Jürgen Henk and Ingrid Mertig},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.11107},
year = {2020}
}