The Thermodynamics of Quantum Systems and Generalizations of Zamolodchikov's C-theorem

In this paper we examine the behavior in temperature of the free energy on quantum systems in an arbitrary number of dimensions. We define from the free energy a function $C$ of the coupling constants and the temperature, which in the regimes where quantum fluctuations dominate, is a monotonically increasing function of the temperature. We show that at very low temperatures the system is controlled by the zero-temperature infrared stable fixed point while at intermediate temperatures the behavior is that of the unstable fixed point. The $C$ function displays this crossover explicitly. This behavior is reminiscent of Zamolodchikov's $C$-theorem of field theories in 1+1 dimensions. Our results are obtained through a thermodynamic renormalization group approach. We find restrictions on the behavior of the entropy of the system for a $C$-theorem-type behavior to hold. We illustrate our ideas in the context of a free massive scalar field theory, the one-dimensional quantum Ising Model and the quantum Non-linear Sigma Model in two space dimensions. In regimes in which the classical fluctuations are important the monotonic behavior is absent.Comment: 25 pages, LateX, P-92-10-12

Strongly correlated fermions with nonlinear energy dispersion and spontaneous generation of anisotropic phases

Using the bosonization approach we study fermionic systems with a nonlinear dispersion relation in dimension d>2. We explicitly show how the band curvature gives rise to interaction terms in the bosonic version of the model. Although these terms are perturbatively irrelevant in relation to the Landau Fermi liquid fixed point, they become relevant perturbations when instabilities take place. Using a coherent state path integral technique we built up the effective action that governs the dynamics of the Fermi surface fluctuations. We consider the combined effect of fermionic interactions and band curvature on possible anisotropic phases triggered by negative Landau parameters. In particular we study in some detail the phase diagram for the isotropic/nematic/hexatic quantum phase transition.Comment: RevTeX4, 9 pages, 2 eps figures, Final version as appeared in Phys.Rev.

Hartree-Fock Theory of Hole Stripe States

We report on Hartree-Fock theory results for stripe states of two-dimensional hole systems in quantum wells grown on GaAs (311)A substrates. We find that the stripe orientation energy has a rich dependence on hole density, and on in-plane field magnitude and orientation. Unlike the electron case, the orientation energy is non-zero for zero in-plane field, and the ground state orientation can be either parallel or perpendicular to a finite in-plane field. We predict an orientation reversal transition in in-plane fields applied along the $\lbrack\bar{2}33\rbrack$ direction.Comment: 5 pages including 4 figure

Role of disorder in half-filled high Landau levels

We study the effects of disorder on the quantum Hall stripe phases in half-filled high Landau levels using exact numerical diagonalization. We show that, in the presence of weak disorder, a compressible, striped charge density wave, becomes the true ground state. The projected electron density profile resembles that of a smectic liquid. With increasing disorder strength W, we find that there exists a critical value, W_c \sim 0.12 e^2/\epsilon l, where a transition/crossover to an isotropic phase with strong local electron density fluctuations takes place. The many-body density of states are qualitatively distinguishable in these two phases and help elucidate the nature of the transition.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Classical and Quantum Considerations of Two-dimensional Gravity

The two-dimensional theory of gravity describing a graviton-dilaton system is considered. The graviton-dilaton coupling can be fixed such that the quantum theory remains free of the conformal anomaly for any conformal dimension of the coupled matter system, even if the dilaton does not appear as Lagrange multiplier. Interaction terms are introduced and the system is analyzed and solutions are given at the classical level and at the quantum level by using canonical quantization.Comment: 18 page

Electronic Properties of Two-Dimensional Carbon

We present a theoretical description of the electronic properties of graphene in the presence of disorder, electron-electron interactions, and particle-hole symmetry breaking. We show that while particle-hole asymmetry, long-range Coulomb interactions, and extended defects lead to the phenomenon of self-doping, local defects determine the transport and spectroscopic properties. Our results explain recent experiments in graphitic devices and predict new electronic behavior.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. The paper was originally submitted on May, 12th, 200

Higher-Spin Theory and Space-Time Metamorphoses

Introductory lectures on higher-spin gauge theory given at 7 Aegean workshop on non-Einstein theories of gravity. The emphasis is on qualitative features of the higher-spin gauge theory and peculiarities of its space-time interpretation. In particular, it is explained that Riemannian geometry cannot play a fundamental role in the higher-spin gauge theory. The higher-spin symmetries are argued to occur at ultra high energy scales beyond the Planck scale. This suggests that the higher-spin gauge theory can help to understand Quantum Gravity. Various types of higher-spin dualities are briefly discussed.Comment: 37 pages, no figures; V2: references adde

Dynamics of quantum Hall stripes in double-quantum-well systems

The collective modes of stripes in double layer quantum Hall systems are computed using the time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation. It is found that, when the system possesses spontaneous interlayer coherence, there are two gapless modes, one a phonon associated with broken translational invariance, the other a pseudospin-wave associated with a broken U(1) symmetry. For large layer separations the modes disperse weakly for wavevectors perpendicular to the stripe orientation, indicating the system becomes akin to an array of weakly coupled one-dimensional XY systems. At higher wavevectors the collective modes develop a roton minimum associated with a transition out of the coherent state with further increasing layer separation. A spin wave model of the system is developed, and it is shown that the collective modes may be described as those of a system with helimagnetic ordering.Comment: 16 pages including 7 postscript figure

Theory of the Quantum Hall Smectic Phase II: Microscopic Theory

We present a microscopic derivation of the hydrodynamic theory of the Quantum Hall smectic or stripe phase of a two-dimensional electron gas in a large magnetic field. The effective action of the low energy is derived here from a microscopic picture by integrating out high energy excitations with a scale of the order the cyclotron energy.The remaining low-energy theory can be expressed in terms of two canonically conjugate sets of degrees of freedom: the displacement field, that describes the fluctuations of the shapes of the stripes, and the local charge fluctuations on each stripe.Comment: 20 pages, RevTex, 3 figures, second part of cond-mat/0105448 New and improved Introduction. Final version as it will appear in Physical Review

Exact eigenstate analysis of finite-frequency conductivity in graphene

We employ the exact eigenstate basis formalism to study electrical conductivity in graphene, in the presence of short-range diagonal disorder and inter-valley scattering. We find that for disorder strength, $W \ge$ 5, the density of states is flat. We, then, make connection, using the MRG approach, with the work of Abrahams \textit{et al.} and find a very good agreement for disorder strength, $W$ = 5. For low disorder strength, $W$ = 2, we plot the energy-resolved current matrix elements squared for different locations of the Fermi energy from the band centre. We find that the states close to the band centre are more extended and falls of nearly as $1/E_l^{2}$ as we move away from the band centre. Further studies of current matrix elements versus disorder strength suggests a cross-over from weakly localized to a very weakly localized system. We calculate conductivity using Kubo Greenwood formula and show that, for low disorder strength, conductivity is in a good qualitative agreement with the experiments, even for the on-site disorder. The intensity plots of the eigenstates also reveal clear signatures of puddle formation for very small carrier concentration. We also make comparison with square lattice and find that graphene is more easily localized when subject to disorder.Comment: 11 pages,15 figure