Magnetically ordered yet topologically robust phases emerging in concurrent Kitaev spin liquids.

Authors

Muhammad Akram, Aayush Vijayvargia, Hae-Young Kee, Onur Erten

Published in

npj quantum materials. Volume 11. Issue 1. Pages 90. Epub Jun 25, 2026.

Abstract

Spin-orbital generalizations of Kitaev model, such as Yao-Lee model, have attracted recent attention due to their enhanced stability of spin liquid phases against perturbations. Motivated by microscopic calculations for the realization of Yao-Lee model showing additional interactions, we study the phase diagram of the Yao-Lee model with added Kitaev and Heisenberg terms. While the plaquette operator is conserved even in the presence of added perturbations, the model becomes no longer exactly solvable. Using perturbation and Majorana mean-field theory, we find magnetic order can arise in the spin sector while the orbital sector remains a liquid for dominant Kitaev interactions, whereas both sectors form liquid phases when Yao-Lee interactions dominate. Additional Heisenberg exchange can enhance or suppress the magnetic order, revealing a rich coexistence of magnetic and topological phases.

PMID:
42876605
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Oct 2026.

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