arXiv · 2602.22283
Phononic enhancement and detection of hidden spin-nematicity and dynamics in quantum magnets
Abstract
The spin nematic phase, characterized by long-range order of spin quadrupole moments in the absence of dipolar magnetism, presents a significant challenge for conventional experimental detection. We propose a novel method to detect this elusive order in quantum magnets with an illustration in the spin-1 triangular lattice Mott insulator. By integrating out the phonon degrees of freedom, we obtain a phase diagram with substantially enlarged regions for the spin-nematic and spin-nematic-supersolid phases. We then demonstrate that through the spin-lattice coupling, the emergence of spin nematic order imprints a distinctive signature onto the phonon spectra, providing a clear spectroscopic signature for the quadrupolar order accessible via Raman or inelastic X-ray scattering. Our formalism offers a direct and powerful method to uncover the hidden spin nematicity, opening a new pathway for diagnosing multipolar orders in quantum magnets.
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Junyu Tang, Hong-hao Song, Gang v. Chen. 2026-02-25. Phononic enhancement and detection of hidden spin-nematicity and dynamics in quantum magnets. https://doi.org/10.1103/k46x-yqqn
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