Structure-magnetic relationship in proximate quantum spin liquid Kitaev-Heisenberg magnets

Bond-dependent nearest neighbor magnetic interactions (Kitaev interactions) in S=1/2 honeycomb lattice magnets host a quantum spin liquid (QSL) ground state. Iridate oxides A2IrO3 (A=Na,Li) and their derivatives, and alpha-RuCl3, are the most promising material candidates with low-energy magnetic interactions consisting of Kitaev terms driven by spin-orbit coupling. The ground state, however, turns out to be a long range magnetically ordered state due to additional magnetic interactions. A topical quest, therefore, is to stabilize a QSL state for which a detailed understanding of the structure-magnetism relationship is important. We will discuss subtle aspects of the structure-magnetism relationship in these proximate Kitaev magnets, current challenges and possible future directions.