Quantum spin liquids (QSLs) form an extremely unusual magnetic state in which the spins are highly correlated and fluctuate coherently down to the lowest temperatures, but without symmetry breaking and without the formation of any static long-range-ordered magnetism. Such intriguing phenomena are not only of great fundamental relevance in themselves, but also hold the promise for quantum computing and quantum information. Among different types of QSLs, the exactly solvable Kitaev model is attracting much attention, with most proposed candidate materials, e.g., RuCl3 and Na2IrO3, having an effective S=1/2 spin value. Here, via extensive first-principle-based simulations, we report the investigation of the Kitaev physics and possible Kitaev QSL state in epitaxially strained Cr-based monolayers, such as CrSiTe3, that rather possess a S=3/2 spin value. Our study thus extends the playground of Kitaev physics and QSLs to 3d transition metal compounds.
@article{arxiv.2002.12184,
title = {Possible Kitaev Quantum Spin Liquid State in 2D Materials with S=3/2},
author = {Changsong Xu and Junsheng Feng and Mitsuaki Kawamura and Youhei Yamaji and Yousra Nahas and Sergei Prokhorenko and Yang Qi and Hongjun Xiang and L. Bellaiche},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2002.12184},
year = {2020}
}