Orbital Magnetic Moment of Magnons
Robin R. Neumann, Alexander Mook, Jürgen Henk, Ingrid Mertig
Abstract
In experiments and their interpretation usually the spin magnetic moment of magnons is considered. In this Letter, we identify a complementing orbital magnetic moment of magnons brought about by spin-orbit coupling. Our microscopic theory uncovers that spin magnetization M^{S} and orbital magnetization M^{O} are independent quantities; they are not necessarily collinear. Even when the total spin moment is compensated due to antiferromagnetism, M^{O} may be nonzero. This scenario of orbital weak ferromagnetism is realized in paradigmatic kagome antiferromagnets with Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We demonstrate that magnets exhibiting a magnonic orbital moment are omnipresent and propose transport experiments for probing it.