We argue for the existence of a liquid ground state in a class of square lattice models of orbitally degenerate insulators. Starting with the SU(4)-symmetric Kugel-Khomskii model, we utilize a Majorana Fermion representation of spin-orbital operators to access unusual phases. Variational wave functions of candidate liquid phases are thus obtained, whose properties are evaluated using variational Monte Carlo. These states are disordered and are found to have excellent energetics and ground state overlap $\left(>40\%\right)$ when compared with exact diagonalization on 16-site clusters. We conclude that these are spin-orbital liquid ground states with emergent nodal fermions and ${\text{Z}}_2$ gauge fields. Connections to spin-3/2 cold-atom systems and properties in the absence of SU(4) symmetry are briefly discussed.

• Received 1 May 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.80.064413