Vibronic effect on resonant inelastic x-ray scattering in cubic iridium hexahalides

Abstract

In resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra of K${}_2$IrCl${}_6$, the peak for the $j=3/2$ multiplet states shows a splitting that resembles non-cubic crystal-field effect although the compound is cubic down to 0.3 K. Here we theoretically describe the RIXS spectra concomitantly treating the spin-orbit and vibronic interactions. We found that the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect in the $j=3/2$ multiplet states gives rise to the splitting of the RIXS spectra and the broadening of the spectra in raising the temperature. The validity of the interaction parameters for the simulations is supported by our {\it ab initio} calculations. Our results suggest that, in cubic iridium compounds, the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect induces the splitting of RIXS spectra without lowering the symmetry.

6 pages, 2 figure

References in corpus (4)

• Mott Insulators in the Strong Spin-Orbit Coupling Limit: From Heisenberg to a Quantum Compass and Kitaev Models
• Cubic symmetry and magnetic frustration on the $fcc$ spin lattice in K${}_2$IrCl${}_6$
• Toward cubic symmetry for Ir${}^{4+}$: structure and magnetism of antifluorite K${}_2$IrBr${}_6$
• Vibronic excitations in resonant inelastic x-ray scattering spectra of K${}_2$RuCl${}_6$

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Spin-orbit-lattice entangled state in A${}_2$MgReO${}_6$ (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) revealed by resonant inelastic X-ray scattering
• Spin-orbit-entangled electronic structure of Ba${}_2$CaOsO${}_6$ studied by O $K$-edge resonant inelastic X-ray scattering
• Dynamic Jahn-Teller Phenomena in Heavy Transition Metal Compounds
• Spin-orbital-lattice entanglement in the ideal j=1/2 compound K${}_2$IrCl${}_6$
• Rotational phase transitions in antifluorite-type osmate and iridate compounds