Orbital Accumulation Induced by Chiral Phonons
Abstract
We theoretically investigate orbital accumulation driven by chiral phonons via orbital-dependent electron-lattice coupling. We derive a formula for the orbital accumulation induced by classical lattice dynamics or nonequilibrium phonons, emphasizing the rectified second-order response of the orbital moment to lattice displacement. We show that chiral phonons primarily couple to orbital quadrupole moments and that static orbital dipole accumulation can be generated at second order in the lattice displacement. Our Letter provides a useful method for generating orbital accumulation without using spin-orbit interactions and suggests a strategy to boost its magnitude by harnessing band structure hot spots associated with orbital degeneracy.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Topological Materials and Phenomena
Rare-earth and actinide compounds
Quasicrystal Structures and Properties
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Volume
- 137
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 066302–066302
- Publication date
- 14 July 2026
- Language
- EN