Broken translational symmetry in an emergent paramagnetic phase of graphene

Gia Wei Chern, Rafael M. Fernandes, Rahul Nandkishore, Andrey V. Chubukov

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

We show that the spin-density wave state on the partially filled honeycomb and triangular lattices is preempted by a paramagnetic phase that breaks an emergent Z 4 symmetry of the system associated with the four inequivalent arrangements of spins in the quadrupled unit cell. Unlike other emergent paramagnetic phases in itinerant and localized-spin systems, this state preserves the C 6 rotational symmetry of the lattice, but breaks its translational symmetry, giving rise to a superlattice structure that can be detected by scanning tunneling microscopy. This emergent phase also has distinctive signatures in the magnetic spectrum that can be probed experimentally.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number115443
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume86
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 26 2012

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