Kondo physics in the algebraic spin liquid

We study Kondo physics in the algebraic spin liquid, recently proposed to describe $ZnCu_{3}(OH)_{6}Cl_{2}$ [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 98}, 117205 (2007)]. Although spin dynamics of the algebraic spin liquid is described by massless Dirac fermions, this problem differs from the Pseudogap Kondo model, because the bulk physics in the algebraic spin liquid is governed by an interacting fixed point where well-defined quasiparticle excitations are not allowed. Considering an effective bulk model characterized by an anomalous critical exponent, we derive an effective impurity action in the slave-boson context. Performing the large-$N_{\sigma}$ analysis with a spin index $N_{\sigma}$, we find an impurity quantum phase transition from a decoupled local-moment state to a Kondo-screened phase. We evaluate the impurity spin susceptibility and specific heat coefficient at zero temperature, and find that such responses follow power-law dependencies due to the anomalous exponent of the algebraic spin liquid. Our main finding is that the Wilson's ratio for the magnetic impurity depends strongly on the critical exponent in the zero temperature limit. We propose that the Wilson's ratio for the magnetic impurity may be one possible probe to reveal criticality of the bulk system

Competitions of magnetism and superconductivity in FeAs-based materials

Using the numerical unrestricted Hartree-Fock approach, we study the ground state of a two-orbital model describing newly discovered FeAs-based superconductors. We observe the competition of a $(0, \pi)$ mode spin-density wave and the superconductivity as the doping concentration changes. There might be a small region in the electron-doping side where the magnetism and superconductivity coexist. The superconducting pairing is found to be spin singlet, orbital even, and mixed s$_{xy}$ + d$_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$ wave (even parity).Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Quantum magnetism and criticality

Magnetic insulators have proved to be fertile ground for studying new types of quantum many body states, and I survey recent experimental and theoretical examples. The insights and methods transfer also to novel superconducting and metallic states. Of particular interest are critical quantum states, sometimes found at quantum phase transitions, which have gapless excitations with no particle- or wave-like interpretation, and control a significant portion of the finite temperature phase diagram. Remarkably, their theory is connected to holographic descriptions of Hawking radiation from black holes.Comment: 39 pages, 10 figures, review article for non-specialists; (v2) added clarifications and references; (v3) minor corrections; (v4) added footnote on hydrodynamic long-time tail

Near-degeneracy of several pairing channels in multiorbital models for the Fe-pnictides

Weak-coupling approaches to the pairing problem in the iron pnictide superconductors have predicted a wide variety of superconducting ground states. We argue here that this is due both to the inadequacy of certain approximations to the effective low-energy band structure, and to the natural near-degeneracy of different pairing channels in superconductors with many distinct Fermi surface sheets. In particular, we review attempts to construct two-orbital effective band models, the argument for their fundamental inconsistency with the symmetry of these materials, and the comparison of the dynamical susceptibilities in two- and five-orbital models. We then present results for the magnetic properties, pairing interactions, and pairing instabilities within a five-orbital Random Phase Approximation model. We discuss the robustness of these results for different dopings, interaction strengths, and variations in band structure. Within the parameter space explored, an anisotropic, sign-changing s-wave state and a d_x2-y2 state are nearly degenerate, due to the near nesting of Fermi surface sheets.Comment: 17 pages, 23 figure

Effect of the tetrahedral distortion on the electronic properties of iron-pnictides

We study the dependence of the electronic structure of iron pnictides on the angle formed by the arsenic-iron bonds. Within a Slater-Koster tight binding model which captures the correct symmetry properties of the bands, we show that the density of states and the band structure are sensitive to the distortion of the tetrahedral environment of the iron atoms. This sensitivity is extremely strong in a two-orbital (d_xz, d_yz) model due to the formation of a flat band around the Fermi level. Inclusion of the d_xy orbital destroys the flat band while keeping a considerable angle dependence in the band structure.Comment: 5 pages, including 5 figures. Fig. 5 replaced. Minor changes in the tex

Symmetry and Topology in Superconductors - Odd-frequency pairing and edge states -

Superconductivity is a phenomenon where the macroscopic quantum coherence appears due to the pairing of electrons. This offers a fascinating arena to study the physics of broken gauge symmetry. However, the important symmetries in superconductors are not only the gauge invariance. Especially, the symmetry properties of the pairing, i.e., the parity and spin-singlet/spin-triplet, determine the physical properties of the superconducting state. Recently it has been recognized that there is the important third symmetry of the pair amplitude, i.e., even or odd parity with respect to the frequency. The conventional uniform superconducting states correspond to the even-frequency pairing, but the recent finding is that the odd-frequency pair amplitude arises in the spatially non-uniform situation quite ubiquitously. Especially, this is the case in the Andreev bound state (ABS) appearing at the surface/interface of the sample. The other important recent development is on the nontrivial topological aspects of superconductors. As the band insulators are classified by topological indices into (i) conventional insulator, (ii) quantum Hall insulator, and (iii) topological insulator, also are the gapped superconductors. The influence of the nontrivial topology of the bulk states appears as the edge or surface of the sample. In the superconductors, this leads to the formation of zero energy ABS (ZEABS). Therefore, the ABSs of the superconductors are the place where the symmetry and topology meet each other which offer the stage of rich physics. In this review, we discuss the physics of ABS from the viewpoint of the odd-frequency pairing, the topological bulk-edge correspondence, and the interplay of these two issues. It is described how the symmetry of the pairing and topological indices determines the absence/presence of the ZEABS, its energy dispersion, and properties as the Majorana fermions.Comment: 91 pages, 38 figures, Review article, references adde

Synthesis of Zinc Phosphonated Poly(ethylene imine) and Its Fire-Retardant Effect in Low-Density Polyethylene

A novel oligomeric intumescent fire-retardant chelate, zinc phosphonated poly(ethylene imine) (Zn-PEIP), with a variable Zn2+ loading, was synthesized. The chemical structure of Zn-PEIP was confirmed by FTIR, 13C NMR, and 31P NMR spectroscopies. The thermal behavior and fire retardancy of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) containing 25 wt % Zn-PEIPs with different amounts of Zn2+ were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), limiting oxygen index (LOI) measurements, and cone calorimetry. The TGA results showed that higher concentrations of Zn2+ improved the thermal stability and increased the residue yield of LDPE. However, the data from the LOI and cone calorimetry tests showed that there is an optimum concentration of Zn2+ for the best fire-retardancy performance of LDPE. This behavior is ascribed to the high cross-link density resulting from zinc bridges, preventing normal swelling of the intumescent system. The surface morphology of the char was characterized by digital photography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This confirmed the optimum intumescence and coherent and strong barrier layer formation at an intermediate Zn2+ loading

Gap-dependent quasiparticle dynamics and coherent acoustic phonons in parent iron pnictide CaFe2As2 across the spin density wave phase transition

We report ultrafast quasiparticle (QP) dynamics and coherent acoustic phonons in undoped CaFe_2As_2 iron pnictide single crystals exhibiting spin-density wave (SDW) and concurrent structural phase transition at temperature TSDW ~ 165 K using femtosecond time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy. The contributions in transient differential reflectivity arising from exponentially decaying QP relaxation and oscillatory coherent acoustic phonon mode show large variations in the vicinity of T_SDW. From the temperature-dependence of the QP recombination dynamics in the SDW phase, we evaluate a BCS-like temperature dependent charge gap with its zero-temperature value of ~(1.6+/-0.2)k_BT_SDW, whereas, much above T_SDW, an electron-phonon coupling constant of ~0.13 has been estimated from the linear temperature-dependence of the QP relaxation time. The long-wavelength coherent acoustic phonons with typical time-period of ~100 ps have been analyzed in the light of propagating strain pulse model providing important results for the optical constants, sounds velocity and the elastic modulus of the crystal in the whole temperature range of 3 K to 300 K.Comment: Revised version (to appear as Full Paper in Journal of Physical Society of Japan (2013)); http://jpsj.ipap.jp/link?JPSJ/82/044715

Pairing symmetry and properties of iron-based high temperature superconductors

Pairing symmetry is important to indentify the pairing mechanism. The analysis becomes particularly timely and important for the newly discovered iron-based multi-orbital superconductors. From group theory point of view we classified all pairing matrices (in the orbital space) that carry irreducible representations of the system. The quasiparticle gap falls into three categories: full, nodal and gapless. The nodal-gap states show conventional Volovik effect even for on-site pairing. The gapless states are odd in orbital space, have a negative superfluid density and are therefore unstable. In connection to experiments we proposed possible pairing states and implications for the pairing mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 1 table, 2 figures, polished versio