Incarnation of Majorana Fermions in Kitaev Quantum Spin Lattice

Understand

Kitaev quantum spin liquid is a topological magnetic quantum state characterized by Majorana fermions of fractionalized spin excitations, which are identical to their own antiparticles.

• Here, we demonstrate emergence of Majorana fermions thermally fractionalized in the Kitaev honeycomb spin lattice {\alpha}-RuCl3.
• The specific heat data unveil the characteristic two-stage release of magnetic entropy involving localized and itinerant Majorana fermions.
• The inelastic neutron scattering results further corroborate these two distinct fermions by exhibiting quasielastic excitations at low energies around the Brillouin zone center and Y-shaped magnetic continuum at high energies, which are evident for the ferromagnetic Kitaev model.