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Long-lived zone-boundary magnons in an antiferromagnet

Author

Listed:
  • Jeongheon Choe

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • David Lujan

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Gaihua Ye

    (Texas Tech University)

  • Cynthia Nnokwe

    (Texas Tech University)

  • Bowen Ma

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Jiaming He

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Frank Y. Gao

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • T. Nathan Nunley

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Aritz Leonardo

    (University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
    DIPC)

  • Mikel Arruabarrena

    (DIPC
    Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM-MPC))

  • Andres Ayuela

    (DIPC
    Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM-MPC))

  • Jianshi Zhou

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Martin Rodriguez-Vega

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin
    Northeastern University)

  • Gregory A. Fiete

    (Northeastern University
    Northeastern University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Rui He

    (Texas Tech University)

  • Xiaoqin Li

    (The University of Texas at Austin
    The University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

Antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulators exhibit many desirable features for spintronic applications such as fast dynamics in the THz range and robustness to fluctuating external fields. However, large damping typically associated with THz magnons presents a serious challenge for THz magnonic applications. Here, we report long-lived short-wavelength zone boundary magnons in the honeycomb AFM insulator CoTiO3, recently found to host topological magnons. We find that its zone-boundary THz magnons exhibit longer lifetimes than its zone-center magnons. This unusual momentum-dependent long magnon lifetime originates from several factors including the antiferromagnetic order, exchange anisotropy, a finite magnon gap, and magnon band dispersion. Our work suggests that magnon-magnon interaction may not be detrimental to magnon lifetimes and should be included in future searches for topological magnons.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeongheon Choe & David Lujan & Gaihua Ye & Cynthia Nnokwe & Bowen Ma & Jiaming He & Frank Y. Gao & T. Nathan Nunley & Aritz Leonardo & Mikel Arruabarrena & Andres Ayuela & Jianshi Zhou & Martin Rodrig, 2025. "Long-lived zone-boundary magnons in an antiferromagnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60287-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60287-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. M. Elliot & P. A. McClarty & D. Prabhakaran & R. D. Johnson & H. C. Walker & P. Manuel & R. Coldea, 2021. "Order-by-disorder from bond-dependent exchange and intensity signature of nodal quasiparticles in a honeycomb cobaltate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Song Bao & Jinghui Wang & Wei Wang & Zhengwei Cai & Shichao Li & Zhen Ma & Di Wang & Kejing Ran & Zhao-Yang Dong & D. L. Abernathy & Shun-Li Yu & Xiangang Wan & Jian-Xin Li & Jinsheng Wen, 2018. "Discovery of coexisting Dirac and triply degenerate magnons in a three-dimensional antiferromagnet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
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