Ultrafast renormalization of the magnetic continuum in the proximal Kitaev quantum spin liquid H3LiIr2O6 by tr-RIXS [Invited]

초록

We present the first circularly polarized non-resonant pump time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (tr-RIXS) experiment in H3LiIr2O6, an iridium-based Kitaev system. Our calculations and experimental results are consistent with the modification of the low-energy magnetic excitations in H3LiIr2O6 only during illumination by the laser pulse. We discuss these results in a cooperative framework between the Floquet engineering of the exchange interactions and the dynamic renormalization of electron-electron correlations. However, the penetration length mismatch between the X-ray probe and laser pump and the intrinsic complexity of Kitaev magnets prevents us from unequivocally extracting towards which ground state H3LiIr2O6 is driven. We outline possible solutions to these challenges for light-driven stabilization and observation of the Kitaev quantum spin liquid limit by RIXS. © 2025 Optica Publishing Group (formerly OSA). All rights reserved.