Controlling the RKKY interaction and heat transport in a Kitaev spin liquid via $Z_2$ flux walls

Abstract

Kitaev spin liquids (KSLs) contain both itinerant Majorana fermions and localized $Z_2$ flux excitations. The mobile fermions transport energy, while the fluxes hinder heat flow. By controlling the flux configuration, one can separate a KSL into different domains via $Z_2$ flux walls. We show that at low temperatures, the wall significantly suppresses the Majorana-mediated Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction and blocks the heat transfer between domains.

6 pages and 4 figures

References in corpus (4)

• Mott Insulators in the Strong Spin-Orbit Coupling Limit: From Heisenberg to a Quantum Compass and Kitaev Models
• Exact results for spin dynamics and fractionization in the Kitaev Model
• Topological characterization of quantum phase transitions in a S=1/2 spin model
• Raman Scattering Signatures of Kitaev Spin Liquids in A${}_2$ IrO${}_3$ Iridates

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Magnetic order through Kondo coupling to quantum spin liquids
• Transport in honeycomb lattice with random $\pi$-fluxes: implications for low-temperature thermal transport in the Kitaev spin liquids