Multinode quantum spin liquids in extended Kitaev honeycomb models

Abstract

Variational Monte Carlo (VMC) studies of extended Kitaev honeycomb models reveal a series of multinode quantum spin liquids (QSLs). They have an emergent Z₂ gauge structure, a discrete number of symmetry-protected Majorana cones, and form Abelian or non-Abelian chiral spin liquids in applied magnetic fields. The large number of Z₂ projective symmetry groups for spin–orbit-coupled states on the honeycomb lattice suggests that multinode QSLs can be found experimentally in future work on proximate Kitaev materials.