Terahertz spin-orbital excitations in the paramagnetic state of multiferroic Sr2FeSi2O7

Abstract

We studied the novel multiferroic material Sr2FeSi2O7 and found three absorption modes above the magnetic ordering transition temperature using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy. These absorption modes can be explained as the optical transitions between the spin-orbit coupling and crystal-field split 3d(6) Fe2+ ground-state term in this material. Consideration of the compressed tetrahedral environment of the Fe2+ site is crucial to understand the excitations. We point out, however, discrepancies between the single-site atomic picture and the experimental results.