Spin-orbit coupling in the Mott insulator Ca(2)RuO(4)

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Aug 13;87(7):077202. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.077202. Epub 2001 Jul 30.

Abstract

O 1s x-ray absorption study of the Mott insulator Ca(2)RuO(4) shows that the orbital population of the 4d t(2g) band dramatically changes with temperature. In addition, spin-resolved circularly polarized photoemission study of Ca(2)RuO(4) shows that a substantial orbital angular momentum is induced in the Ru 4d t(2g) band. Based on the experimental results and model Hartree-Fock calculations, we argue that the cooperation between the strong spin-orbit coupling in the Ru 4d t(2g) band and the small distortion of the RuO(6) octahedra causes the interesting changeover of the spin and orbital anisotropy as a function of temperature.