SU(4) spin waves in the $ν=\pm1$ quantum Hall ferromagnet in graphene

Abstract

We study generalized spin waves in graphene under a strong magnetic field when the Landaulevel filling factor is ν = ±1. In this case, the ground state is a particular SU(4) quantum Hall ferromagnet, in which not only the physical spin is fully polarized but also the pseudo-spin associated with the valley degree of freedom. The nature of the ground state and the spin-valley polarization depend on explicit symmetry breaking terms that are also reflected in the generalised spin-wave spectrum. In addition to pure spin waves, one encounters valley-pseudo-spin waves as well as more exotic entanglement waves that have a mixed spin-valley character. Most saliently, the SU(4) symmetry-breaking terms do not only yield gaps in the spectra, but under certain circumstances, namely in the case of residual ground-state symmetries, render the originally quadratic (in the wave vector) spin-wave dispersion linear.