High-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) at the oxygen K edge has been used to study the orbital excitations of Ca2RuO4 and Sr2RuO4. In combination with linear dichroism x-ray absorption spectroscopy, the ruthenium 4d-orbital occupation and excitations were probed through their hybridization with the oxygen p orbitals. These results are described within a minimal model, taking into account crystal field splitting and a spin-orbit coupling λso=200 meV. The effects of spin-orbit interaction on the electronic structure and implications for the Mott and superconducting ground states of (Ca,Sr)2RuO4 are discussed.
Harald Brune, Stefano Rusponi, Marina Pivetta, Fabio Donati, Aparajita Singha
Stefano Rusponi, Chao Li, Boris Sorokin
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