Critical Quantum Chaos in 2D Disordered Systems with Spin-Orbit Coupling

We examine the validity of the recently proposed semi-Poisson level spacing distribution function P(S), which characterizes `critical quantum chaos', in 2D disordered systems with spin-orbit coupling. At the Anderson transition we show that the semi-Poisson P(S) can describe closely the critical distribution obtained with averaged boundary conditions, over Dirichlet in one direction with periodic in the other and Dirichlet in both directions. We also obtain a sub-Poisson linear number variance $\Sigma_{2}(E)\approx \chi_{0}+ \chi E$, with asymptotic value $\chi\approx0.07$. The obtained critical statistics, intermediate between Wigner and Poisson, is relevant for disordered systems and chaotic models.Comment: 4 pages with 5 figure

Andreev-Lifshitz supersolid revisited for a few electrons on a square lattice I

In 1969, Andreev and Lifshitz have conjectured the existence of a supersolid phase taking place at zero temperature between the quantum liquid and the solid. In this and a succeeding paper, we re-visit this issue for a few polarized electrons (spinless fermions) interacting via a U/r Coulomb repulsion on a two dimensional L * L square lattice with periodic boundary conditions and nearest neighbor hopping.Comment: 12 pages, 17 postscript figures, final version, added reference

Mesoscopic Wigner crystallization in two dimensional lattice models

The quantum-classical crossover from the Fermi liquid towards the Wigner solid is numerically revisited, considering small square lattice models where electrons interact via a Coulomb $U/r$ potential. The studies of models without disorder and spin and including disorder and spin show that the electron solid is formed in two stages, giving rise to an intriguing solid-liquid regime at intermediate couplingsComment: To appear in the proceedings of the XXXVIth Rencontres de Moriond edited by T. Martin and G. Montambau

From the Fermi Liquid Towards the Wigner Solid in Two Dimensions

The quantum-classical crossover from the Fermi liquid towards the Wigner solid is numerically revisited, considering small square lattice models where electrons interact via a Coulomb U/r potential. We review a series of exact numerical results obtained in the presence of weak site disorder for fully polarized electrons (spinless fermions) and when the spin degrees of freedom are included. A novel intermediate regime between the Fermi system of weakly interacting localized particles and the correlated Wigner solid is obtained. A detailed analysis of the non disordered case shows that the intermediate ground state is a solid entangled with an excited liquid. For electrons in two dimensions, this raises the question of the existence of an unnoticed intermediate liquid-solid phase. Using the Coulomb energy to kinetic energy ratio r_s ~ U ~ n_s^{-1/2}, we discuss certain analogies between the numerical results obtained as a function of U for a few particles and the low temperature behaviors obtained as a function of the carrier density n_s in two dimensional electron gases. Notably, the new ``exotic state of matter'' numerically observed at low energies in small clusters occurs at the same intermediate ratios r_s than the unexpected low temperature metallic behavior characterizing dilute electron gases. The finite size effects in the limit of strong disorder are eventually studied in the last section, providing two numerical evidences that the weak coupling Fermi limit is delimited by a second order quantum phase transition when one increases U.Comment: 45 pages, review article to appear in ``Exotic states in Quantum Nanostructures'' ed. S. Sarkar, Kluwer, Dordrech

Ground state of a partially melted Wigner molecule

We consider three spinless fermions free to move on 2d square lattice with periodic boundary conditions and interacting via a U/r Coulomb repulsion. When the Coulomb energy to kinetic energy ratio r_s is large, a rigid Wigner molecule is formed. As r_s decreases, we show that melting proceeds via an intermediate regime where a floppy two particle molecule coexists with a partially delocalized particle. A simple ansatz is given to describe the ground state of this mesoscopic solid-liquid regime.Comment: to appear in Europhysics Letter

Persistent currents in two dimensions: New regimes induced by the interplay between electronic correlations and disorder

Using the persistent current I induced by an Aharonov-Bohm flux in square lattices with random potentials, we study the interplay between electronic correlations and disorder upon the ground state (GS) of a few polarized electrons (spinless fermions) with Coulomb repulsion. K being the total momentum, we show that I is proportional to K in the continuum limit. We use this relation to distinguish between the continuum regimes, where the lattice GS behaves as in the continuum limit and I is independent of the interaction strength U when K is conserved, and the lattice regimes where I decays as U increases. Changing the disorder strength W and U, we obtain many regimes which we study using the map of local currents carried by three spinless fermions

Effect of a lattice upon an interacting system of electrons: Breakdown of scaling and decay of persistent currents

For an interacting system of N electrons, we study the conditions under which a lattice model of size L with nearest neighbor hopping t and U/r Coulomb repulsion has the same ground state as a continuum model. For a fixed value of N, one gets identical results when the inter-electron spacing to the Bohr radius ratio r_s < r_s^*. Above r_s^*, the persistent current created by an enclosed flux begins to decay and r_s ceases to be the scaling parameter. Three criteria giving similar r_s^* are proposed and checked using square lattices.Comment: 7 pages, 5 postscript figure

Role of a parallel magnetic field in two dimensional disordered clusters containing a few correlated electrons

An ensemble of 2d disordered clusters with a few electrons is studied as a function of the Coulomb energy to kinetic energy ratio r_s. Between the Fermi system (small r_s) and the Wigner molecule (large r_s), an interaction induced delocalization of the ground state takes place which is suppressed when the spins are aligned by a parallel magnetic field. Our results confirm the existence of an intermediate regime where the Wigner antiferromagnetism defavors the Stoner ferromagnetism and where the enhancement of the Lande g factor observed in dilute electron systems is reproduced.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure