138 research outputs found
Continuous-Time Monte Carlo study of the pseudogap Bose-Fermi Kondo model
We study the pseudogap Bose-Fermi Anderson model with a continuous-time
quantum Monte Carlo (CT-QMC) method. We discuss some delicate aspects of the
transformation from this model to the Bose-Fermi Kondo model. We show that the
CT-QMC method can be used at sufficiently low temperatures to access the
quantum critical properties of these models.Comment: SCES 2010 Proceeding
Local quantum phase transition in the pseudogap Anderson model: scales, scaling and quantum critical dynamics
The pseudogap Anderson impurity model provides a paradigm for understanding
local quantum phase transitions, in this case between generalised fermi liquid
and degenerate local moment phases. Here we develop a non-perturbative local
moment approach to the generic asymmetric model, encompassing all energy scales
and interaction strengths and leading thereby to a rich description of the
problem. We investigate in particular underlying phase boundaries, the critical
behaviour of relevant low-energy scales, and single-particle dynamics embodied
in the local spectrum. Particular attention is given to the resultant universal
scaling behaviour of dynamics close to the transition in both the GFL and LM
phases, the scale-free physics characteristic of the quantum critical point
itself, and the relation between the two.Comment: 39 pages, 19 figure
A Local Moment Approach to magnetic impurities in gapless Fermi systems
A local moment approach is developed for the single-particle excitations of a
symmetric Anderson impurity model (AIM), with a soft-gap hybridization
vanishing at the Fermi level with a power law r > 0. Local moments are
introduced explicitly from the outset, and a two-self-energy description is
employed in which the single-particle excitations are coupled dynamically to
low-energy transverse spin fluctuations. The resultant theory is applicable on
all energy scales, and captures both the spin-fluctuation regime of strong
coupling (large-U), as well as the weak coupling regime. While the primary
emphasis is on single particle dynamics, the quantum phase transition between
strong coupling (SC) and (LM) phases can also be addressed directly; for the
spin-fluctuation regime in particular a number of asymptotically exact results
are thereby obtained. Results for both single-particle spectra and SC/LM phase
boundaries are found to agree well with recent numerical renormalization group
(NRG) studies. A number of further testable predictions are made; in
particular, for r < 1/2, spectra characteristic of the SC state are predicted
to exhibit an r-dependent universal scaling form as the SC/LM phase boundary is
approached and the Kondo scale vanishes. Results for the `normal' r = 0 AIM are
moreover recovered smoothly from the limit r -> 0, where the resultant
description of single-particle dynamics includes recovery of Doniach-Sunjic
tails in the Kondo resonance, as well as characteristic low-energy Fermi liquid
behaviour.Comment: 52 pages, 19 figures, submitted to Journal of Physics: Condensed
Matte
Dynamics of capacitively coupled double quantum dots
We consider a double dot system of equivalent, capacitively coupled
semiconducting quantum dots, each coupled to its own lead, in a regime where
there are two electrons on the double dot. Employing the numerical
renormalization group, we focus here on single-particle dynamics and the
zero-bias conductance, considering in particular the rich range of behaviour
arising as the interdot coupling is progressively increased through the strong
coupling (SC) phase, from the spin-Kondo regime, across the SU(4) point to the
charge-Kondo regime; and then towards and through the quantum phase transition
to a charge-ordered (CO) phase. We first consider the two-self-energy
description required to describe the broken symmetry CO phase, and implications
thereof for the non-Fermi liquid nature of this phase. Numerical results for
single-particle dynamics on all frequency scales are then considered, with
particular emphasis on universality and scaling of low-energy dynamics
throughout the SC phase. The role of symmetry breaking perturbations is also
briefly discussed.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
Criticality of the Mean-Field Spin-Boson Model: Boson State Truncation and Its Scaling Analysis
The spin-boson model has nontrivial quantum phase transitions at zero
temperature induced by the spin-boson coupling. The bosonic numerical
renormalization group (BNRG) study of the critical exponents and
of this model is hampered by the effects of boson Hilbert space
truncation. Here we analyze the mean-field spin boson model to figure out the
scaling behavior of magnetization under the cutoff of boson states . We
find that the truncation is a strong relevant operator with respect to the
Gaussian fixed point in and incurs the deviation of the exponents
from the classical values. The magnetization at zero bias near the critical
point is described by a generalized homogeneous function (GHF) of two variables
and . The universal function has a
double-power form and the powers are obtained analytically as well as
numerically. Similarly, is found to be a GHF of
and . In the regime , the truncation produces no effect.
Implications of these findings to the BNRG study are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Dynamics and transport properties of heavy fermions: theory
The paramagnetic phase of heavy fermion systems is investigated, using a
non-perturbative local moment approach to the asymmetric periodic Anderson
model within the framework of dynamical mean field theory. The natural focus is
on the strong coupling Kondo-lattice regime wherein single-particle spectra,
scattering rates, dc transport and optics are found to exhibit w/w_L,T/w_L
scaling in terms of a single underlying low-energy coherence scale w_L.
Dynamics/transport on all relevant (w,T)-scales are encompassed, from the
low-energy behaviour characteristic of the lattice coherent Fermi liquid,
through incoherent effective single-impurity physics likewise found to arise in
the universal scaling regime, to non-universal high-energy scales; and which
description in turn enables viable quantitative comparison to experiment.Comment: 27 pages, 12 figure
Spectral scaling and quantum critical behaviour in the pseudogap Anderson model
The pseudogap Anderson impurity model provides a classic example of an
essentially local quantum phase transition. Here we study its single-particle
dynamics in the vicinity of the symmetric quantum critical point (QCP)
separating generalized Fermi liquid and local moment phases, via the local
moment approach. Both phases are shown to be characterized by a low-energy
scale that vanishes at the QCP; and the universal scaling spectra, on all
energy scales, are obtained analytically. The spectrum precisely at the QCP is
also obtained; its form showing clearly the non-Fermi liquid, interacting
nature of the fixed point.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Numerical Renormalization Group for Impurity Quantum Phase Transitions: Structure of Critical Fixed Points
The numerical renormalization group method is used to investigate zero
temperature phase transitions in quantum impurity systems, in particular in the
particle-hole symmetric soft-gap Anderson model. The model displays two stable
phases whose fixed points can be built up of non-interacting single-particle
states. In contrast, the quantum phase transitions turn out to be described by
interacting fixed points, and their excitations cannot be described in terms of
free particles. We show that the structure of the many-body spectrum of these
critical fixed points can be understood using renormalized perturbation theory
close to certain values of the bath exponents which play the role of critical
dimensions. Contact is made with perturbative renormalization group
calculations for the soft-gap Anderson and Kondo models. A complete description
of the quantum critical many-particle spectra is achieved using suitable
marginal operators; technically this can be understood as epsilon-expansion for
full many-body spectra.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figure
Magnetoresistance in paramagnetic heavy fermion metals
A theoretical study of magnetic field (h) effects on single-particle spectra
and transport quantities of heavy fermion metals in the paramagnetic phase is
carried out. We have employed a non-perturbative local moment approach (LMA) to
the asymmetric periodic Anderson model within the dynamical mean field
framework. The lattice coherence scale \om_L, which is proportional within
the LMA to the spin-flip energy scale, and has been shown in earlier studies to
be the energy scale at which crossover to single impurity physics
occurs,increases monotonically with increasing magnetic field. The many body
Kondo resonance in the density of states at the Fermi level splits into two
with the splitting being proportional to the field itself. For h 0, we
demonstrate adiabatic continuity from the strongly interacting case to a
corresponding non-interacting limit, thus establishing Fermi liquid behaviour
for heavy fermion metals in the presence of magnetic field. In the Kondo
lattice regime, the theoretically computed magnetoresistance is found to be
negative in the entire temperature range. We argue that such a result could be
understood at T\gtrsim \om_L by field-induced suppression of spin-flip
scattering and at T\lesssim \om_L through lattice coherence. The coherence
peak in the heavy fermion resistivity diminishes and moves to higher
temperatures with increasing field. Direct comparison of the theoretical
results to the field dependent resistivity measurements in CeB yields good
agreement.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure
Interaction effects in mixed-valent Kondo insulators
We study theoretically the class of mixed-valent Kondo insulators, employing
a recently developed local moment approach to heavy Fermion systems using the
asymmetric periodic Anderson model (PAM). Novel features in spectra and
transport, observable experimentally but lying outside the scope of the
symmetric PAM or the Kondo lattice model, emerge naturally within the present
theory. We argue in particular that a shoulder-like feature in the optical
conductivity, that is distinct from the usual mid-infrared or direct gap peak
and has been observed experimentally in mixed-valent compounds such as
CeOs4Sb12 and YbAl3, is of intrinsic origin. Detailed comparison is made
between the resultant theory and transport/optical experiments on the
filled-skutterudite compound CeOs4Sb12, and good agreement is obtained.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
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