Analysis of resonant inelastic x-ray scattering from Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ in an itinerant-electron approach

Abstract: We analyze the resonant x-ray scattering (RIXS) spectra from Sr$_2$IrO$_4$ in an itinerant electron approach. Employing a multi-orbital tight-binding model on the square lattice, we calculate the one-electron energy band within the Hartree-Fock approximation, which leads to an antiferromagnetic ground state. We then evaluate the two-particle Green's functions for the particle-hole pair excitations within the random phase approximation, which are connected to the RIXS spectra within the fast collision approximation. The calculated RIXS spectra exhibit two-peak structure with slightly different energies in the low-energy region, which are originated from the bound states in the two-particle Green's function. They may be interpreted as the split modes of magnon. We also obtain several $\delta$-function peaks, which arise from the bound states around the bottom of energy continuum. They may be called as the exciton modes. These characteristics are in qualitative agreement with the RIXS experiment, demonstrating that the weak coupling theory could explain both the magnon and the exciton peaks in the RIXS spectra on an equal footing.