Quantum Critical Point in the Spin Glass-Kondo Transition in Heavy Fermion Systems

The Kondo-Spin Glass competition is studied in a theoretical model of a Kondo lattice with an intra-site Kondo type exchange interaction treated within the mean field approximation, an inter-site quantum Ising exchange interaction with random couplings among localized spins and an additional transverse field in the x direction, which represents a simple quantum mechanism of spin flipping. We obtain two second order transition lines from the spin-glass state to the paramagnetic one and then to the Kondo state. For a reasonable set of the different parameters, the two second order transition lines do not intersect and end in two distinct QCP.Comment: 20 pages; 1 figure; to appear in Physical Review

Quantum and classical criticality in a dimerized quantum antiferromagnet

A quantum critical point (QCP) is a singularity in the phase diagram arising due to quantum mechanical fluctuations. The exotic properties of some of the most enigmatic physical systems, including unconventional metals and superconductors, quantum magnets, and ultracold atomic condensates, have been related to the importance of the critical quantum and thermal fluctuations near such a point. However, direct and continuous control of these fluctuations has been difficult to realize, and complete thermodynamic and spectroscopic information is required to disentangle the effects of quantum and classical physics around a QCP. Here we achieve this control in a high-pressure, high-resolution neutron scattering experiment on the quantum dimer material TlCuCl3. By measuring the magnetic excitation spectrum across the entire quantum critical phase diagram, we illustrate the similarities between quantum and thermal melting of magnetic order. We prove the critical nature of the unconventional longitudinal ("Higgs") mode of the ordered phase by damping it thermally. We demonstrate the development of two types of criticality, quantum and classical, and use their static and dynamic scaling properties to conclude that quantum and thermal fluctuations can behave largely independently near a QCP.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Original version, published version available from Nature Physics websit

Kondo effect in a quantum critical ferromagnet

We study the Heisenberg ferromagnetic spin chain coupled with a boundary impurity. Via Bethe ansatz solution, it is found that (i) for J>0, the impurity spin behaves as a diamagnetic center and is completely screened by 2S bulk spins in the ground state, no matter how large the impurity spin is; (ii) The specific heat of the local composite (impurity plus 2S bulk spins which form bound state with it) shows a simple power law $C_{loc}\sim T^{3/2}$. (iii)For J<0, the impurity is locked into the critical behavior of the bulk. Possible phenomena in higher dimensions are discussed.Comment: 6page Revtex, no figure, final version in PRB, Jun 1 issue, 199

Symmetries of Pairing Correlations in Superconductor-Ferromagnet Nanostructures

Using selection rules imposed by the Pauli principle, we classify pairing correlations according to their symmetry properties with respect to spin, momentum, and energy. We observe that inhomogeneity always leads to mixing of even- and odd-energy pairing components. We investigate the superconducting pairing correlations present near interfaces between superconductors and ferromagnets, with focus on clean systems consisting of singlet superconductors and either weak or half-metallic ferromagnets. Spin-active scattering in the interface region induces all of the possible symmetry components. In particular, the long-range equal-spin pairing correlations have odd-frequency s-wave and even-frequency p-wave components of comparable magnitudes. We also analyze the Josephson current through a half-metal. We find analytic expressions and an interesting universality in the temperature dependence of the critical current in the tunneling limit.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, added citations, corrected typo

Coexistence of antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in the Anderson lattice

We study the interplay between antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in a generalized infinite-$U$ Anderson lattice, where both superconductivity and antiferromagnetic order are introduced phenomenologically in mean field theory. In a certain regime, a quantum phase transition is found which is characterized by an abrupt expulsion of magnetic order by d-wave superconductivity, as externally applied pressure increases. This transition takes place when the d-wave superconducting critical temperature, $T_c$, intercepts the magnetic critical temperature, $T_m$, under increasing pressure. Calculations of the quasiparticle bands and density of states in the ordered phases are presented. We calculate the optical conductivity $\sigma(\omega)$ in the clean limit. It is shown that when the temperature drops below $T_m$ a double peak structure develops in $\sigma(\omega)$.Comment: 18 pages, 13 figure

Correlated electrons in the presence of disorder

Several new aspects of the subtle interplay between electronic correlations and disorder are reviewed. First, the dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT)together with the geometrically averaged ("typical") local density of states is employed to compute the ground state phase diagram of the Anderson-Hubbard model at half-filling. This non-perturbative approach is sensitive to Anderson localization on the one-particle level and hence can detect correlated metallic, Mott insulating and Anderson insulating phases and can also describe the competition between Anderson localization and antiferromagnetism. Second, we investigate the effect of binary alloy disorder on ferromagnetism in materials with $f$-electrons described by the periodic Anderson model. A drastic enhancement of the Curie temperature $T_c$ caused by an increase of the local $f$-moments in the presence of disordered conduction electrons is discovered and explained.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, final version, typos corrected, references updated, submitted to Eur. Phys. J. for publication in the Special Topics volume "Cooperative Phenomena in Solids: Metal-Insulator Transitions and Ordering of Microscopic Degrees of Freedom

Hall effect in the vicinity of quantum critical point in Tm1-xYbxB12

The angular, temperature and magnetic field dependences of Hall resistance roH for the rare-earth dodecaboride solid solutions Tm1-xYbxB12 have been studied in a wide vicinity of the quantum critical point (QCP) xC~0.3. The measurements performed in the temperature range 1.9-300 K on high quality single crystals allowed to find out for the first time in these fcc compounds both an appearance of the second harmonic contribution in ro2H at QCP and its enhancement under the Tm to ytterbium substitution and/or with increase of external magnetic field. When the Yb concentration x increases a negative maximum of a significant amplitude was shown to appear on the temperature dependences of Hall coefficient RH(T) for the Tm1-xYbxB12 compounds. Moreover, a complicated activation type behavior of the Hall coefficient is observed at intermediate temperatures for x>0.5 with activation energies Eg~200K and Ea~55-75K in combination with the sign inversion of RH(T) at low temperatures in the coherent regime. The density of states renormalization effects are analyzed within the variation of Yb concentration and the features of the charge transport in various regimes (charge gap formation, intra-gap manybody resonance and coherent regime) are discussed in detail in Tm1-xYbxB12 solid solutions.Comment: 38 pages including 10 figures, 70 reference

Quantum phase transitions

In recent years, quantum phase transitions have attracted the interest of both theorists and experimentalists in condensed matter physics. These transitions, which are accessed at zero temperature by variation of a non-thermal control parameter, can influence the behavior of electronic systems over a wide range of the phase diagram. Quantum phase transitions occur as a result of competing ground state phases. The cuprate superconductors which can be tuned from a Mott insulating to a d-wave superconducting phase by carrier doping are a paradigmatic example. This review introduces important concepts of phase transitions and discusses the interplay of quantum and classical fluctuations near criticality. The main part of the article is devoted to bulk quantum phase transitions in condensed matter systems. Several classes of transitions will be briefly reviewed, pointing out, e.g., conceptual differences between ordering transitions in metallic and insulating systems. An interesting separate class of transitions are boundary phase transitions where only degrees of freedom of a subsystem become critical; this will be illustrated in a few examples. The article is aimed on bridging the gap between high-level theoretical presentations and research papers specialized in certain classes of materials. It will give an overview over a variety of different quantum transitions, critically discuss open theoretical questions, and frequently make contact with recent experiments in condensed matter physics.Comment: 50 pages, 7 figs; (v2) final version as publishe