Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering from electronic excitations in α -RuCl3 nanolayers
Abstract
We present Ru L3-edge resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements of spin-orbit and d -d excitations in exfoliated nanolayers of the Kitaev spin-liquid candidate RuCl3. Whereas the spin-orbit excitations are independent of thickness, we observe a pronounced redshift and broadening of the d -d excitations in layers with thicknesses below ∼7 nm. Aided by model calculations, we attribute these effects to distortions of the RuCl6 octahedra near the surface. Our study paves the way towards RIXS investigations of electronic excitations in various other two-dimensional materials and heterostructures.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review B
- Pub Date:
- July 2023
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevB.108.L041406
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2303.05135
- Bibcode:
- 2023PhRvB.108d1406Y
- Keywords:
-
- Condensed Matter - Strongly Correlated Electrons
- E-Print:
- doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.108.L041406