Tuning the Chern number of Kitaev quantum spin liquid

Abstract

It is now well understood that non-Kitaev spin interactions can be added to the Kitaev quantum spin liquid by applying external fields. Recent years have seen intensive discussion on the possible phase transitions that these spin interactions induce. In this paper, we will show through the perturbation theory the possibility of accessing a gapped spin liquid phase with a higher Chern number through, in contrast to the cases studied in literature, a continuous phase transition. Such a transition may be induced by external tuning parameters such as electric field and hydrostatic pressure.