Spin-Orbit Coupling Controlled J=3/2 Electronic Ground State in 5d(3) Oxides

摘要

Entanglement of spin and orbital degrees of freedom drives the formation of novel quantum and topological physical states. Here we report resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements of the transition metal oxides Ca3LiOsO6 and Ba-2 YOsO6, which reveals a dramatic spitting of the t(2g) manifold. We invoke an intermediate coupling approach that incorporates both spin-orbit coupling and electron-electron interactions on an even footing and reveal that the ground state of 5d(3)-based compounds, which has remained elusive in previously applied models, is a novel spin-orbit entangled J = 3/2 electronic ground state. This work reveals the hidden diversity of spin-orbit controlled ground states in 5d systems and introduces a new arena in the search for spin-orbit controlled phases of matter.