Classification of spin-$1/2$ fermionic quantum spin liquids on the trillium lattice

Abstract

We study fermionic quantum spin liquids (QSLs) on the three-dimensonal trillium lattice of corner-sharing triangles. We are motivated by recent experimental and theoretical investigations that have explored various classical and quantum spin liquid states on similar networks of triangular motifs with strong geometric frustration. Using the framework of Projective Symmetry Groups (PSG), we obtain a classification of all symmetric $\mathsf{Z}_2$ and $\mathsf{U}(1)$ QSLs on the trillium lattice. We find 2 $\mathsf{Z}_2$ spin-liquids, and a single $\mathsf{U}(1)$ spin-liquid which is proximate to one of the $\mathsf{Z}_2$ states. The small number of solutions reflects the constraints imposed by the two non-symmorphic symmetries in the space group of trillium. Using self-consistency conditions of the mean-field equations, we obtain the spinon band-structure and spin structure factors corresponding to these states. All three of our spin liquids are gapless at their saddle points: the $\mathsf{Z}_2$ QSLs are both nodal, while the $\mathsf{U}(1)$ case hosting a spinon Fermi surface. One of our $\mathsf{Z}_2$ spin liquids hosts a stable gapless nodal star, that is protected by projective symmetries against additions of further neighbour terms in the mean field ansatz. We comment on directions for further work.