Theory of Nonlinear Spectroscopy of Quantum Magnets

Abstract: Two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy (2DCS) is an established method for characterizing molecules and has been proposed in the THz regime as a new tool for probing exotic excitations of quantum magnets; however, the precise nature of the coupling between pump field and spin degrees of freedom has remained unclear. Here, we develop a general response theory of 2DCS and show how magneto-electric as well as polarization couplings contribute to 2DCS in addition to the typically assumed magnetization. We propose experimental protocols to distill individual contributions, for instance from exchange-striction or spin current mechanism, when the electric field couples to terms quadratic in spin operators. We provide example calculations for the paradigmatic twisted Kitaev chain material $\mathrm{CoNb}{2}\mathrm{O}{6}$ and highlight the crucial role of contributions from cross-coupling between polarization and magnetic nonlinear susceptibilities. Our work paves the way for systematic studies of light-matter couplings in quantum magnets and for establishing 2DCS as a versatile tool for probing fractional excitations of exotic magnetic quantum phases.