Fingerprints of an orbital-selective Mott phase in the block magnetic state of BaFe2Se3 ladders

Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering (RIXS) experiments on the iron-based ladder BaFe2Se3 unveiled an unexpected two-peak structure associated with local orbital (dd) excitations in a block-type antiferromagnetic phase. A mixed character between correlated band-like and localized excitations was also reported. Here, we use the density matrix renormalization group method to calculate the momentum-resolved charge- and orbital-dynamical response functions of a multi-orbital Hubbard chain. Remarkably, our results qualitatively resemble the BaFe2Se3 RIXS data, while also capturing the presence of long-range magnetic order as found in neutron scattering, only when the model is in an exotic orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP). In the calculations, the experimentally observed zero-momentum transfer RIXS peaks correspond to excitations between itinerant and Mott insulating orbitals. We provide experimentally testable predictions for the momentum-resolved charge and orbital dynamical structures, which can provide further insight into the OSMP regime of BaFe2Se3. BaFe2Se3 is a ladder-compound that exhibits superconductivity under pressure. Using a density matrix renormalization group calculation to compare results with resonant inelastic X-ray scattering measurements, the authors conclude that this material is realized in an orbital-selective Mott phase.