Unconventional metallic conduction in two-dimensional Hubbard-Wigner lattices

The interplay between long-range and local Coulomb repulsion in strongly interacting electron systems is explored through a two-dimensional Hubbard-Wigner model. An unconventional metallic state is found in which collective low-energy excitations characteristic of the Wigner crystal induce a flow of electrical current despite the absence of one-electron spectral weight at the Fermi surface. Photoemission experiments on certain quarter-filled layered molecular crystals should observe a gap in the excitation spectrum whereas optical spectroscopy should find a finite Drude weight indicating metallic behavior.Comment: 10 pages, accepted for publication in PR

Charge ordering in \theta-(BEDT-TTF)2RbZn(SCN)4: Cooperative effects of electron correlations and lattice distortions

Combined effects of electron correlations and lattice distortions are investigated on the charge ordering in \theta-(BEDT-TTF)2RbZn(SCN)4 theoretically in a two-dimensional 3/4-filled extended Hubbard model with electron-lattice couplings. It is known that this material undergoes a phase transition from a high-symmetry metallic state to a low-symmetry insulating state with a horizontal-stripe charge order (CO) by lowering temperature. By means of the exact-diagonalization method, we show that electron-phonon interactions are crucial to stabilize the horizontal-stripe CO and to realize the low-symmetry crystal structure.Comment: 7 peges, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Point-contact tunneling involving low-dimensional spin-triplet superconductors

We modify and extend previous microscopic calculations of tunneling in superconducting junctions based on a non-equilibrium Green function formalism to include the case of spin-triplet pairing. We show that distinctive features are present in the I-V characteristics of different kinds of junctions, in particular when the effects of magnetic fields are taken into account, that permit to identify the type of pairing. We discuss the relevance of these results in the context of quasi one-dimensional organic superconductors like (TMTSF)_2(PF_6) and layered compounds like Sr_2RuO_4.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Phase diagram of the one-dimensional half-filled extended Hubbard model

We study the ground state of the one-dimensional half-filled Hubbard model with on-site (nearest-neighbor) repulsive interaction $U$ ($V$) and nearest-neighbor hopping $t$. In order to obtain an accurate phase diagram, we consider various physical quantities such as the charge gap, spin gap, Luttinger-liquid exponents, and bond-order-wave (BOW) order parameter using the density-matrix renormalization group technique. We confirm that the BOW phase appears in a substantial region between the charge-density-wave (CDW) and spin-density-wave phases. Each phase boundary is determined by multiple means and it allows us to do a cross-check to demonstrate the validity of our estimations. Thus, our results agree quantitatively with the renormalization group results in the weak-coupling regime ($U \lesssim 2t$), with the perturbation results in the strong-coupling regime ($U \gtrsim 6t$), and with the quantum Monte Carlo results in the intermediate-coupling regime. We also find that the BOW-CDW transition changes from continuous to first order at the tricritical point $(U_{\rm t}, V_{\rm t}) \approx (5.89t, 3.10t)$ and the BOW phase vanishes at the critical end point $(U_{\rm c}, V_{\rm c}) \approx (9.25t, 4.76t)$.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Quantum critical behavior of electrons at the edge of charge order

We consider quantum critical points (QCP) in which quantum fluctuations associated with charge rather than magnetic order induce unconventional metallic properties. Based on finite-T calculations on a two-dimensional extended Hubbard model we show how the coherence scale T* characteristic of Fermi liquid behavior of the homogeneous metal vanishes at the onset of charge order. A strong effective mass enhancement reminiscent of heavy fermion behavior indicates the possible destruction of quasiparticles at the QCP. Experimental probes on quarter-filled layered organic materials are proposed for unveiling the behavior of electrons across the quantum critical region.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Density Induced Quantum Phase Transitions in Triplet Superconductors

We consider the possibility of quantum phase transitions in the ground state of triplet superconductors where particle density is the tunning parameter. For definiteness, we focus on the case of one band quasi-one-dimensional triplet superconductors but many of our conclusions regarding the nature of the transition are quite general. Within the functional integral formulation, we calculate the electronic compressibility and superfluid density tensor as a function of the particle density for various triplet order parameter symmetries and find that these quantities are non-analytic when a critical value of the particle density is reached.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Electronic and magnetic properties of the ionic Hubbard model on the striped triangular lattice at 3/4 filling

We report a detailed study of a model Hamiltonian which exhibits a rich interplay of geometrical spin frustration, strong electronic correlations, and charge ordering. The character of the insulating phase depends on the magnitude of Delta/|t| and on the sign of t. We find a Mott insulator for Delta >> U >> |t|; a charge transfer insulator for U >> \Delta >> |t|; and a correlated covalent insulator for U >> \Delta ~ |t|. The charge transfer insulating state is investigated using a strong coupling expansion. The frustration of the triangular lattice can lead to antiferromagnetism or ferromagnetism depending on the sign of the hopping matrix element, t. We identify the "ring" exchange process around a triangular plaquette which determines the sign of the magnetic interactions. Exact diagonalization calculations are performed on the model for a wide range of parameters and compared to the strong coupling expansion. The regime U >> \Delta ~ |t| and t<0 is relevant to Na05CoO2. The calculated optical conductivity and the spectral density are discussed in the light of recent experiments on Na05CoO2.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figure

Phase diagram of the one dimensional Hubbard-Holstein Model at 1/2 and 1/4 filling

The Hubbard-Holstein model is one of the simplest to incorporate both electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions. In one dimension at half filling the Holstein electron-phonon coupling promotes onsite pairs of electrons and a Peierls charge density wave while the Hubbard onsite Coulomb repulsion U promotes antiferromagnetic correlations and a Mott insulating state. Recent numerical studies have found a possible third intermediate phase between Peierls and Mott states. From direct calculations of charge and spin susceptibilities, we show that (i) As the electron-phonon coupling is increased, first a spin gap opens, followed by the Peierls transition. Between these two transitions the metallic intermediate phase has a spin gap, no charge gap, and properties similar to the negative-U Hubbard model. (ii) The transitions between Mott/intermediate and intermediate/Peierls states are of the Kosterlitz-Thouless form. (iii) For larger U the two transitions merge at a tritical point into a single first order Mott/Peierls transition. In addition we show that an intermediate phase also occurs in the quarter-filled model.Comment: 10 pages, 10 eps figure

Magnetic Determination of Hc2H_{c2} under Accurate Alignment in (TMTSF)2_2ClO4_4

Cantilever magnetometry has been used to measure the upper critical magnetic field $H_{c2}$ of the quasi-one dimensional molecular organic superconductor (TMTSF)$_2$ClO$_4$. From simultaneous resistivity and torque magnetization experiments conducted under precise field alignment, $H_{c2}$ at low temperature is shown to reach 5T, nearly twice the Pauli paramagnetic limit imposed on spin singlet superconductors. These results constitute the first thermodynamic evidence for a large $H_{c2}$ in this system and provide support for spin triplet pairing in this unconventional superconductorComment: Submitted July 1, 2003, Accepted December 9, 2003, Physical Review Letter