Orbital Dynamics: The Origin of Anomalous Magnon Softening in Ferromagnetic Manganites

We study the renormalization of magnons by charge and coupled orbital-lattice fluctuations in colossal magnetoresistance compounds. The model considered is an orbitally degenerate double-exchange system coupled to Jahn-Teller active phonons. The modulation of ferromagnetic bonds by low-energy orbital fluctuations is identified as the main origin of the unusual softening of the zone-boundary magnons observed experimentally in manganites.