Thermal Interferometry of Anyons in Spin Liquids

Aharonov-Bohm interferometry is the most direct probe of anyonic statistics in the quantum Hall effect. The technique involves oscillations of the electric current as a function of the magnetic field and is not applicable to Kitaev spin liquids and other systems without charged quasiparticles. Here, we establish a novel protocol, involving heat transport, for revealing fractional statistics even in the absence of charged excitations, as is the case in quantum spin liquids. Specifically, we demonstrate that heat transport in Kitaev spin liquids through two distinct interferometer's geometries, Fabry-Perot and Mach-Zehnder, exhibit drastically different behaviors. Therefore, we propose the use of heat transport interferometry as a probe of anyonic statistics in charge insulators.

Automated summary

The use of heat transport interferometry can reveal anyonic statistics in charge insulators, even in the absence of charged excitations. By studying the heat transport through different interferometer geometries in Kitaev spin liquids, such as Fabry-Perot and Mach-Zehnder, drastically different behaviors can be observed, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method.