Fermi Liquids and the Luttinger Integral

The Luttinger Theorem, which relates the electron density to the volume of the Fermi surface in an itinerant electron system, is taken to be one of the essential features of a Fermi liquid. The microscopic derivation of this result depends on the vanishing of a certain integral, the Luttinger integral $I_{\rm L}$, which is also the basis of the Friedel sum rule for impurity models, relating the impurity occupation number to the scattering phase shift of the conduction electrons. It is known that non-zero values of $I_{\rm L}$ with $I_{\rm L}=\pm\pi/2$, occur in impurity models in phases with non-analytic low energy scattering, classified as singular Fermi liquids. Here we show the same values, $I_{\rm L}=\pm\pi/2$, occur in an impurity model in phases with regular low energy Fermi liquid behavior. Consequently the Luttinger integral can be taken to characterize these phases, and the quantum critical points separating them interpreted as topological.Comment: 5 pages 7 figure

Renormalized parameters and perturbation theory for an n-channel Anderson model with Hund's rule coupling: Asymmetric case

We explore the predictions of the renormalized perturbation theory for an n-channel Anderson model, both with and without Hund's rule coupling, in the regime away from particle-hole symmetry. For the model with n=2 we deduce the renormalized parameters from numerical renormalization group calculations, and plot them as a function of the occupation at the impurity site, nd. From these we deduce the spin, orbital and charge susceptibilities, Wilson ratios and quasiparticle density of states at T=0, in the different parameter regimes, which gives a comprehensive overview of the low energy behavior of the model. We compare the difference in Kondo behaviors at the points where nd=1 and nd=2. One unexpected feature of the results is the suppression of the charge susceptibility in the strong correlation regime over the occupation number range 1 <nd <3.Comment: 9 pages, 17 figure

Phase diagram and critical points of a double quantum dot

We apply a combination of numerical renormalization group (NRG) and renormalized perturbation theory (RPT) to a model of two quantum dots (impurities) described by two Anderson impurity models hybridized to their respective baths. The dots are coupled via a direct interaction $U_{12}$ and an exchange interaction $J$. The model has two types of quantum critical points, one at $J=J_c$ to a local singlet state and one at $U_{12}=U_{12}^c$ to a locally charge ordered state. The renormalized parameters which determine the low energy behavior are calculated from the NRG. The results confirm the values predicted from the RPT on the approach to the critical points, which can be expressed in terms of a single energy scale $T^*$ in all cases. This includes cases without particle-hole symmetry, and cases with asymmetry between the dots, where there is also a transition at $J=J_c$. The results give a comprehensive quantitative picture of the behavior of the model in the low energy Fermi liquid regimes, and some of the conclusions regarding the emergence of a single energy scale may apply to a more general class of quantum critical points, such as those observed in some heavy fermion systems.Comment: 18 pages 31 figure

Convergence of energy scales on the approach to a local quantum critical point

We find the emergence of strong correlations and universality on the approach to the quantum critical points of a two impurity Anderson model. The two impurities are coupled by an inter-impurity exchange interaction $J$ and direct interaction $U_{12}$ and are hybridized with separate conduction channels.The low energy behavior is described in terms of renormalized parameters, which can be deduced from numerical renormalization group (NRG) calculations. We show that on the approach to the transitions to a local singlet and a local charged ordered state, the quasiparticle weight factor $z\to 0$, and the renormalized parameters can be expressed in terms of a single energy scale $T^*$. The values of the renormalized interaction parameters in terms of $T^*$ can be predicted from the condition of continuity of the spin and charge susceptibilities, and correspond to strong correlation as they are greater than or equal to the effective band width. These predictions are confirmed by the NRG calculations, including the case when the onsite interaction U=0.Comment: 5 pages 5 figure

Finite-size scaling of the error threshold transition in finite population

The error threshold transition in a stochastic (i.e. finite population) version of the quasispecies model of molecular evolution is studied using finite-size scaling. For the single-sharp-peak replication landscape, the deterministic model exhibits a first-order transition at $Q=Q_c=1/a$, where $Q$ is the probability of exact replication of a molecule of length $L \to \infty$, and $a$ is the selective advantage of the master string. For sufficiently large population size, $N$, we show that in the critical region the characteristic time for the vanishing of the master strings from the population is described very well by the scaling assumption \tau = N^{1/2} f_a \left [ \left (Q - Q_c) N^{1/2} \right ] , where $f_a$ is an $a$-dependent scaling function.Comment: 8 pages, 3 ps figures. submitted to J. Phys.

Optimal discrete stopping times for reliability growth tests

Often, the duration of a reliability growth development test is specified in advance and the decision to terminate or continue testing is conducted at discrete time intervals. These features are normally not captured by reliability growth models. This paper adapts a standard reliability growth model to determine the optimal time for which to plan to terminate testing. The underlying stochastic process is developed from an Order Statistic argument with Bayesian inference used to estimate the number of faults within the design and classical inference procedures used to assess the rate of fault detection. Inference procedures within this framework are explored where it is shown the Maximum Likelihood Estimators possess a small bias and converges to the Minimum Variance Unbiased Estimator after few tests for designs with moderate number of faults. It is shown that the Likelihood function can be bimodal when there is conflict between the observed rate of fault detection and the prior distribution describing the number of faults in the design. An illustrative example is provided