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At least 703 records · Page 39

Langevin simulations of a long-range electron-phonon model

We present a quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) study, based on the Langevin equation, of a Hamiltonian describing electrons coupled to phonon degrees of freedom. The bosonic part of the action helps control the variation of the field in imaginary time. As a consequence, the iterative conjugate gradient solution of the fermionic action, which depends on the boson coordinates, converges more rapidly than in the case of electron-electron interactions, such as the Hubbard Hamiltonian. Fourier acceleration is shown to be a crucial ingredient in reducing the equilibration and autocorrelation times. After describing and benchmarking the method, we present results for the phase diagram focusing on the range of the electron-phonon interaction. Furthermore, we delineate the regions of charge density wave formation from those in which the fermion density is inhomogeneous, caused by phase separation. We show that the Langevin approach is more efficient than the determinant QMC method for lattice sizes N ≳ 8 × 8 and that it therefore opens a potential path to problems including, for example, charge order in the three-dimensional Holstein model.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Tunable chiral symmetry breaking in symmetric Weyl materials

Asymmetric Weyl semimetals, which possess an inherently chiral structure, have different energies and dispersion relations for left- and right-handed fermions. They exhibit certain effects not found in symmetric Weyl semimetals, such as the quantized circular photogalvanic effect and the helical magnetic effect. In this work, we derive the conditions required for breaking chiral symmetry by applying an external field in symmetric Weyl semimetals. Here, we explicitly demonstrate that in certain materials with the T d point group, magnetic fields along low symmetry directions break the symmetry between left- and right-handed fermions; the symmetry breaking can be tuned by changing the direction and magnitude of the magnetic field. In some cases, we find an imbalance between the number of type I left- and right-handed Weyl cones (which is compensated by the number of type II cones of each chirality).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Analytic calculation of the vison gap in the Kitaev spin liquid

Although the ground-state energy of the Kitaev spin liquid can be calculated exactly, the associated vison gap energy has to date only been calculated numerically from finite size diagonalization. Here we show that the phase shift for scattering Majorana fermions off a single bond-flip can be calculated analytically, leading to a closed-form expression for the vison gap energy Δ = 0.2633 J . Generalizations of our approach can be applied to Kitaev spin liquids on more complex lattices such as the three dimensional hyper-octagonal lattice.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Electrical control of two-dimensional electron-hole fluids in the quantum Hall regime

We study the influence of quantizing perpendicular magnetic fields on the ground state of a bilayer with electron and hole fluids separated by an opaque tunnel barrier. In the absence of a field, the ground state at low carrier densities is a condensate of s-wave excitons that has spontaneous interlayer phase coherence. We find that a series of phase transitions emerge at strong perpendicular fields between condensed states and incompressible incoherent states with full electron and hole Landau levels. When the electron and hole densities are unequal, condensation can occur in higher angular momentum electron-hole pair states and, at weak fields, break rotational symmetry. Here, we explain how this physics is expressed in dual-gate phase diagrams, and predict transport and capacitively probed thermodynamic signatures that distinguish different states.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quantum Spin Liquid Intertwining Nematic and Superconducting Order in Fese

Despite its seemingly simple composition and structure, the pairing mechanism of FeSe remains an open problem due to several striking phenomena. Among them are nematic order without magnetic order, nodeless gap and unusual inelastic neutron spectra with a broad continuum, and gap anisotropy consistent with orbital selection of unknown origin. Here we propose a microscopic description of a nematic quantum spin liquid that reproduces key features of neutron spectra. We then study how the spin fluctuations of the local moments lead to pairing within a spin-fermion model. We find the resulting superconducting order parameter to be nodeless s ± d wave within each domain. Further we show that orbital dependent Kondo-like coupling can readily capture observed gap anisotropy. Furthermore, our prediction calls for inelastic neutron scattering in a detwinned sample.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Fine Structure of Optical Energy Levels Scheme for Ni{sup 2+} Doped in Inverted Perovskite BaLiF{sub 3}

The aim of this paper is to calculate the fine structure of the optical energy levels scheme of BaLiF{sub 3}:Ni{sup 2+} taken into account besides the spin-orbit interaction, also the spin-spin, orbit-orbit and spin-other-orbit interactions. The numerical theoretical crystal field parameters were computed using the model exchange charge calculations of crystal field, taking into account the effects of the covalent bond formation between the Ni{sup 2+} and F{sup -} ions. The Hamiltonian of the BaLiF{sub 3}:Ni{sup 2+} system has been diagonalized in a complete basis set spanned by all wave functions of the 3d{sup 8} electron configuration. The comparison of the calculated energy levels with experimental data gives a satisfactory agreement, which confirms the model and used method.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Out of time order correlation of the Hubbard model with random local disorder

The out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) serves as a powerful tool for investigating quantum information spreading and chaos in complex systems. We present a method employing non-equilibrium dynamical mean-field theory and coherent potential approximation combined with diagrammatic perturbation on the Schwinger–Keldysh contour to calculate the OTOC for correlated fermionic systems subjected to both random disorder and electron interaction. Furthermore, our key finding is that random disorder enhances the OTOC decay in the Hubbard model for the metallic phase in the weakly interacting limit. However, the current limitation of our perturbative solver restricts the applicability to weak interaction regimes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Microscopic characterization of Ising conformal field theory in Rydberg chains

Rydberg chains provide an appealing platform for probing conformal field theories (CFTs) that capture universal behavior in a myriad of physical settings. Focusing on a Rydberg chain at the Ising transition separating charge density wave and disordered phases, we establish a detailed link between microscopics and low-energy physics emerging at criticality. Here, we first construct lattice incarnations of primary fields in the underlying Ising CFT including chiral fermions, a nontrivial task given that the Rydberg chain Hamiltonian does not admit an exact fermionization. With this dictionary in hand, we compute correlations of microscopic Rydberg operators, paying special attention to finite, open chains of immediate experimental relevance. We further develop a method to quantify how second-neighbor Rydberg interactions tune the sign and strength of four-fermion couplings in the Ising CFT. Finally, we determine how the Ising fields evolve when four-fermion couplings drive an instability to Ising tricriticality. Our results pave the way to a thorough experimental characterization of Ising criticality in Rydberg arrays and can inform the design of novel higher-dimensional phases based on coupled critical chains.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Model of chiral spin liquids with Abelian and non-Abelian topological phases

In this article, we present a two-dimensional lattice model for quantum spin-1/2 for which the low-energy limit is governed by four flavors of strongly interacting Majorana fermions. We study this low-energy effective theory using two alternative approaches. The first consists of a mean-field approximation. The second consists of a random phase approximation (RPA) for the single-particle Green's functions of the Majorana fermions built from their exact forms in a certain one-dimensional limit. The resulting phase diagram consists of two competing chiral phases, one with Abelian and the other with non-Abelian topological order, separated by a continuous phase transition. Remarkably, the Majorana fermions propagate in the two-dimensional bulk, as in the Kitaev model for a spin liquid on the honeycomb lattice. We identify the vison fields, which are mobile (they are static in the Kitaev model) domain walls propagating along only one of the two space directions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Evolution of Magnetic Order from the Localized to the Itinerant Limit

Quantum materials that feature magnetic long-range order often reveal complex phase diagrams when localized electrons become mobile. In many materials magnetism is rapidly suppressed as electronic charges dissolve into the conduction band. In materials where magnetism persists, it is unclear how the magnetic properties are affected. Here we study the evolution of the magnetic structure in Nd 1-x Ce x CoIn 5 from the localized to the highly itinerant limit. We observe two magnetic ground states inside a heavy-fermion phase that are detached from unconventional superconductivity. The presence of two different magnetic phases provides evidence that increasing charge delocalization affects the magnetic interactions via anisotropic band hybridization.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Superconducting properties of the spin Hall candidate Ta 3 Sb with eightfold degeneracy

We report the synthesis and characterization of phase pure Ta 3 Sb, a material predicted to be topological with eightfold degenerate fermionic states [Bradlyn et al., Science 353, aaf5037 (2016)] and to exhibit a large spin Hall effect [Derunova et al., Sci. Adv. 5, eaav8575 (2019)]. We observe superconductivity in Ta 3 Sb with T c ~0.67 K in both electrical resistivity ρ(T) and specific heat c(T) measurements. Field-dependent measurements yield the superconducting phase diagram with an upper critical field of H c2 (0) ~0.95 T, corresponding to a superconducting coherence length of ξ ≈ 18.6 nm. The gap ratio deduced from specific heat anomaly, 2Δ 0 /k B T c is 3.46, a value close to the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer value of 3.53. From a detailed analysis of both the transport and thermodynamic data within the Ginsburg-Landau (GL) framework, a GL parameter of κ ≈ 90 is obtained, identifying Ta 3 Sb as an extreme type-II superconductor. The observation of superconductivity in an eightfold degenerate fermionic compound with topological surface states and predicted large spin Hall conductance positions Ta 3 Sb as an appealing platform to further explore exotic quantum states in multifold degenerate systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

One-dimensional Hubbard-Holstein model with finite-range electron-phonon coupling

The Hubbard-Holstein model describes fermions on a discrete lattice, with on-site repulsion between fermions and a coupling to phonons that are localized on sites. Generally, at half-filling, increasing the coupling g to the phonons drives the system towards a Peierls charge density wave state, whereas increasing the electron-electron interaction U drives the fermions into a Mott antiferromagnet. At low g and U, or when doped, the system is metallic. In one dimension, using quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we study the case where fermions have a long-range coupling to phonons, with characteristic range ξ, interpolating between the Holstein and Fröhlich limits. Without electron-electron interaction, the fermions adopt a Peierls state when the coupling to the phonons is strong enough. This state is destabilized by a small coupling range ξ and leads to a collapse of the fermions, and, consequently, phase separation. Increasing interaction U will drive any of these three phases (metallic, Peierls, phase separation) into a Mott insulator phase. Furthermore, the phase separation region is once again present in the U ≠ 0 case, even for small values of the coupling range.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Particle formation and ordering in strongly correlated fermionic systems: Solving a model of quantum chromodynamics

In our paper we study a (1+1)-dimensional version of the famous Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model of quantum chromodynamics (QCD2) both at zero and at finite baryon density. We use nonperturbative techniques (non-Abelian bosonization and the truncated conformal spectrum approach). When the baryon chemical potential, μ, is zero, we describe the formation of fermion three-quark (nucleons and Δ baryons) and boson (two-quark mesons, six-quark deuterons) bound states. We also study at μ=0 the formation of a topologically nontrivial phase. When the chemical potential exceeds the critical value and a finite baryon density appears, the model has a rich phase diagram which includes phases with a density wave and superfluid quasi-long-range (QLR) order, as well as a phase of a baryon Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (strange metal). Finally, the QLR order results in either a condensation of scalar mesons (the density wave) or six-quark bound states (deuterons).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

ELECTROMAGNETIC THERMAL INSTABILITY WITH MOMENTUM AND ENERGY EXCHANGE BETWEEN ELECTRONS AND IONS IN GALAXY CLUSTERS

Thermal instability in an electron-ion magnetized plasma, which is relevant in the intragalactic medium of galaxy clusters, solar corona, and other two-component plasma objects, is investigated. We apply the multicomponent plasma approach where the dynamics of all species are considered separately through electric field perturbations. General expressions for the dynamical variables obtained in this paper can be applied over a wide range of astrophysical and laboratory plasmas also containing neutrals and dust grains. We assume that background temperatures of electrons and ions are different and include the energy exchange in thermal equations for electrons and ions along with the collisional momentum exchange in equations of motion. We take into account the dependence of collision frequency on density and temperature perturbations. The cooling-heating functions are taken for both electrons and ions. A condensation mode of thermal instability has been studied in the fast sound speed limit. We derive a new dispersion relation including different electron and ion cooling-heating functions and other effects mentioned above and find its simple solutions for growth rates in limiting cases. We show that the perturbations have an electromagnetic nature and demonstrate the crucial role of the electric field perturbation along the background magnetic field in the fast sound speed limit. We find that at the conditions under consideration, condensation must occur along the magnetic field while the transverse scale sizes can be both larger and smaller than the longitudinal ones. The results obtained can be useful for interpretating observations of dense cold regions in astrophysical objects.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Rare Earth Engineering in R Mn 6 Sn 6 ( R = Gd–Tm, Lu) Topological Kagome Magnets

Exploration of the topological quantum materials with electron correlation is at the frontier of physics, as the strong interaction may give rise to new topological phases and transitions. Here we report that a family of kagome magnets RMn 6 Sn 6 manifest the quantum transport properties analogical to those in the quantum-limit Chern magnet TbMn 6 Sn 6 . The topological transport in the family, including quantum oscillations with nontrivial Berry phase and large anomalous Hall effect arising from Berry curvature field, points to the existence of Chern gapped Dirac fermions. Furthermore, our observation demonstrates a close relationship between rare-earth magnetism and topological electron structure, indicating the rare-earth elements can effectively engineer the Chern quantum phase in kagome magnets.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Separation of Kondo lattice coherence from crystal electric field in CeIn 3 with Nd substitutions

The Ce m M n In 3m+2n (m=1,2;n=0,1) family has been one of the most studied families of heavy fermion compounds. This family has revealed many interesting low-temperature physics phenomena, like quantum critical points, heavy fermion superconductivity, and non-Fermi liquid behavior, when these materials are exposed to pressure, magnetic fields, and/or chemical substitution. In this work, we provide a thorough investigation of the Ce 1-x Nd x In 3 phase diagram through single crystal synthesis, x-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity measurements. Previous electrical resistivity measurements on CeIn 3 reveal a broad maximum, T max ~50 K, which has been associated with the Kondo lattice coherence crossover and/or the crystal electric field depopulation effect as the 4f electrons condense from the high-energy quartet down to the ground state doublet. Our findings show that in the most disordered substitution region, x=0.4–0.5, these features disjoin to reveal two distinct broad humps in electrical resistivity measurements. Magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity data on Ce 1-x Nd x In 3 also reveal the antiferromagnetic ordering competition between CeIn 3 and NdIn 3 , where the T N of CeIn 3 is linearly suppressed to a critical concentration of x Nd ~0.6. This concentration is slightly lower than what was previously reported in nonmagnetically substituted Ce 1-x La x In 3 . Our magnetic susceptibility measurements and subsequent simulations show that in the CeIn 3 antiferromagnetic regime, x Nd ≤0.4, the Nd ions act as free paramagnets. The large magnitude of the associated paramagnetic response then masks the overlapping antiferromagnetic ordering signature of the Ce ions. Overall our study further sheds light on the underlying crystal electric field and Kondo lattice coherence interactions within the Ce m M n In 3m+2n family and could stimulate further studies of these systems via neutron diffraction or under applied pressure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Magnetic and metal-insulator transitions in coupled spin-fermion systems

We use quantum Monte Carlo to determine the magnetic and transport properties of coupled square lattice spin and fermionic planes as a model for a metal-insulator interface. Specifically, layers of Ising spins with an intra-layer exchange constant J interact with the electronic spins of several adjoining metallic sheets via a coupling JH. When the chemical potential cuts across the band center, that is, at half-filling, the Neel temperature of antiferromagnetic (J > 0) Ising spins is enhanced by the coupling to the metal, while in the ferromagnetic case (J < 0) the metallic degrees of freedom reduce the ordering temperature. In the former case, a gap opens in the fermionic spectrum, driving insulating behavior, and the electron spins also order. This induced antiferromagnetism penetrates more weakly as the distance from the interface increases, and also exhibits a non-monotonic dependence on JH. For doped lattices an interesting charge disproportionation occurs where electrons move to the interface layer to maintain half-filling there.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Density Functional Study of Perovskite Superconductor MgCNi{sub 3}

We here report the first principle density functional study of MgCNi{sub 3} which crystallize in cubic perovskite structure having critical transition temperature of 8 K. The interesting aspect of this compound is that in normal state it is non magnetic in nature despite conduction electrons in it are derived from partially filled Ni d states, which typically lead to ferromagnetism in metallic Ni and many Ni-based binary alloys. To investigate the detailed microscopic origin of the non magnetic nature we have done density functional based calculations on this compound. The lattice constant is calculated using minimum energy criteria from total energy versus lattice constant plot. By taking the calculated values of lattice constant we have done the precise calculations on the compound using Full Potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method implemented in ELK code. The electronic density of states is found spin degenerate that corresponds to a non-magnetic ground state. The density of states (DOS) at Fermi level, N(E{sub F}) is dominated by Ni-d states. The sharp peak observed just below Fermi level corresponds to van Hove singularity (vHs). The projected density of states (PDOS) suggests a strong hybridization of Ni-3d and C-2p states which is responsible for the observed non magnetic nature of MgCNi{sub 3}.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗