Fluctuation-driven quantum phase transitions in clean itinerant ferromagnets

The quantum phase transition in clean itinerant ferromagnets is analyzed. It is shown that soft particle-hole modes invalidate Hertz's mean-field theory for d< or =3. A renormalized mean-field theory predicts a fluctuation-induced first order transition for 1相似文献   

A discontinuous transition to ferromagnetic phase in a two-band itinerant ferromagnet

Conditions for the onset of ferromagnetism in a discontinuous way are given for a model system composed of a band and an atomic level located in the middle of the band. Such model reflects the system of two strongly hybridized bands of equal width. The presence of a linear term in the total magnetization for the ground state energy is demonstrated. At a discontinuous transition the Stoner criterion is not fulfilled [i.e. (U + J)?(μ) < 1]. Both mixed-valent and integral-valent ferromagnetic states are possible. The detailed calculations are done on the basis of rectangular density of states for the band electrons.     

量子相变

量子相变是一种发生在绝对零度,由量子涨落而非热涨落导致的相变现象,满足著名的海森堡不确定关系。通过零温量子临界点的研究,可获知物质系统更广泛范围的行为,包括稀土磁性绝缘体,高温超导体和二维电子气体等。     

On the order of itinerant antiferromagnetic phase transitions and superconducting phase transitions in an exchange field

The coefficients of the second and fourth order terms in a Landau expansion of the free energy are evaluated for an itinerant antiferromagnetic transition. The choice of spatial dependence is found to play an important role. A first order transition is obtained for a range of values of the band structure parameters. However if values appropriate to Cr are used it is found that the contribution from the shift in the Fermi level is sufficiently large to give second order transitions even when magnetostrictive effects are included. In the mathematically similar problem of a superconductor in an exchange field it is found that the transition from normal to superconducting states is first order near the triple point with an upper and possibly a lower critical point where the transition changes to second order.     

Theory of photoinduced phase transitions in itinerant electron systems

Theoretical progress in the research of photoinduced phase transitions is reviewed with closely related experiments. After a brief introduction of stochastic evolution in statistical systems and domino effects in localized electron systems, we treat photoinduced dynamics in itinerant-electron systems. Relevant interactions are required in the models to describe the fast and ultrafast charge-lattice-coupled dynamics after photoexcitations. First, we discuss neutral-ionic transitions in the mixed-stack charge-transfer complex, TTF-CA. When induced by intrachain charge-transfer photoexcitations, the dynamics of the ionic-to-neutral transition are characterized by a threshold behavior, while those of the neutral-to-ionic transition by an almost linear behavior. The difference originates from the different electron correlations in the neutral and ionic phases. Second, we deal with halogen-bridged metal complexes, which show metal, Mott insulator, charge-density-wave, and charge–polarization phases. The latter two phases have different broken symmetries. The charge-density-wave to charge–polarization transition is much more easily achieved than the reverse transition. This is clarified by considering microscopic charge-transfer processes. The transition from the charge-density-wave to Mott insulator phases and that from the Mott insulator to metal phases proceed much faster than those between the low-symmetry phases. Next, we discuss ultrafast, inverse spin-Peierls transitions in an organic radical crystal and alkali-TCNQ from the viewpoint of intradimer and interdimer charge-transfer excitations. Then, we study photogenerated electrons in the quantum paraelectric perovskite, SrTiO₃, which are assumed to couple differently with soft-anharmonic phonons and breathing-type high-energy phonons. The different electron–phonon couplings result in two types of polarons, a “super-paraelectric large polaron” with a quasi-global parity violation, and an “off-center-type self-trapped polaron” with only a local parity violation. The former is equivalent to a charged and conductive ferroelectric domain, which greatly enhances both the quasi-static electric susceptibility and the electric conductivity. Finally, we outline the development of time-resolved X-ray diffraction experiments, which directly accesses the dynamics of electronic, atomic and molecular motions in photoexcited materials. They are extremely useful when a three-dimensional structural long-range order is established and changes the symmetry.     

Spin wave excitations in amorphous itinerant ferromagnet

The Izuyama, Kim and Kubo theory of spin waves in crystalline itinerant ferromagnets is extended to the amorphous itinerant ferromagnetic materials. The qualitative features of this theory are similar to that of the generalized Landau-Lifshitz theory discussed by Henderson and de Graaf.     

Magnetic dynamics of two-dimensional itinerant ferromagnet Fe_3GeTe_2

Among the layered two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials(2 D FMs),due to a relatively high T_C,the van der Waals(vdW) Fe_3 GeTe_2(FGT) crystal is of great importance for investigating its distinct magnetic properties.Here,we have carried out static and dynamic magnetization measurements of the FGT crystal with a Curie temperature TC ≈ 204 K.The M-H hysteresis loops with in-plane and out-of-plane orientations show that FGT has a strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with the easy axis along its c-axis.Moreover,we have calculated the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy constant(K_1)from the SQUID measurements.The dynamic magnetic properties of FGT have been probed by utilizing the high sensitivity electron-spin-resonance(ESR) spectrometer at cryogenic temperatures.Based on an approximation of single magnetic domain mode,the K_1 and the effective damping constant(α_(eff)) have also been determined from the out-of-plane angular dependence of ferromagnetic resonance(FMR) spectra obtained at the temperature range of 185 K to T_C.We have found large magnetic damping with the effective damping constant α_(eff) ～ 0.58 along with a broad linewidth(ΔH_(pp) 1000 Oe at 9.48 GHz,H ‖ c-axis).Our results provide useful dynamics information for the development of FGT-based spintronic devices.     

Static and dynamic hyperfine interactions of Mn and Co impurities in the weak ferromagnet ZrZn2

We report the nuclear orientation of near-stoichiometric samples of ZrZn₂ containing trace impurities of radioactive⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co in the temperature range 6.5–60 mK and in applied fields between 0.2 and 5.7 T. Analysis of the resullts indicates that in both cases, the transition-element impurities occupy two sites (the Zr and Zn sites) with about equal probablities. In one site, most probably that of Zr, both impurities have positive hyperfine fields of +12.0 T and +3.8 T for Mn and Co, respectively; in the other site, the corresponding hyperfine fields are negative, with the values −6.0 T and −6.9 T. The dynamic hyperfine interaction of Mn in ZrZn₂ has also been studied using the thermal cyclic method with a weak thermal link, and was analyzed for the two relaxation times corresponding to the different lattice sites.     

Quantum phase transitions in d-wave superconductors

Motivated by the strong, low temperature damping of nodal quasiparticles observed in some cuprate superconductors, we study quantum phase transitions in d(x(2)-y(2)) superconductors with a spin-singlet, zero momentum, fermion bilinear order parameter. We present a complete, group-theoretic classification of such transitions into seven distinct cases (including cases with nematic order) and analyze fluctuations by the renormalization group. We find that only two, the transitions to d(x(2)-y(2))+is and d(x(2)-y(2))+id(xy) pairing, possess stable fixed points with universal damping of nodal quasiparticles; the latter leaves the gapped quasiparticles along (1,0), (0,1) essentially undamped.     

Quantum phase transitions in mesoscopic systems

Quantum phase transitions in mesoscopic systems are studied. It is shown that the main features of phase transitions, defined for infinite number of particles, N--> infinity, persist even for moderate N approximately 10. A Landau analysis of first order transitions is done and a "critical" exponent at the spinodal point is defined. Two order parameters are introduced to distinguish first from second order transitions. Applications to atomic nuclei, molecules, atomic clusters, and finite polymers are mentioned. Experimental evidence in atomic nuclei is presented.     

Quantum phase transitions in electronic systems

Quantum phase transitions occur at zero temperature when some non‐thermal control‐parameter like pressure or chemical composition is changed. They are driven by quantum rather than thermal fluctuations. In this review we first give a pedagogical introduction to quantum phase transitions and quantum critical behavior emphasizing similarities with and differences to classical thermal phase transitions. We then illustrate the general concepts by discussing a few examples of quantum phase transitions occurring in electronic systems. The ferromagnetic transition of itinerant electrons shows a very rich behavior since the magnetization couples to additional electronic soft modes which generates an effective long‐range interaction between the spin fluctuations. We then consider the influence of rare regions on quantum phase transitions in systems with quenched disorder, taking the antiferromagnetic transitions of itinerant electrons as a primary example. Finally we discuss some aspects of the metal‐insulator transition in the presence of quenched disorder and interactions.     

Absence of conventional quantum phase transitions in itinerant systems with disorder

Effects of disorder are examined in itinerant systems close to quantum critical points. We argue that spin fluctuations due to the long-range part of the RKKY interactions generically induce non-Ohmic dissipation due to rare disorder configurations. This dissipative mechanism is found to destabilize quantum Griffiths phase behavior in itinerant systems with arbitrary symmetry of the order parameter, leading to the formation of a "cluster glass" phase preceding uniform ordering.     

Two-magnon bound states in an itinerant electron ferromagnet

The existence of bound states of two magnons in an itinerant electron model of ferromagnetism is demonstrated. The arguments are based on RPA and the energy spectrum of bound states is calculated for a one-dimensional model.     

Quantum phase transition in the itinerant antiferromagnet (V0.9Ti0.1)2O3

Quantum-critical behavior of the itinerant electron antiferromagnet (V0.9Ti0.1)2O3 has been studied by single-crystal neutron scattering. By directly observing antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic phase, we have shown that the characteristic energy depends on temperature as c1 +c2T3/2, where c1 and c2 are constants. This T3/2 dependence demonstrates that the present strongly correlated d-electron antiferromagnet clearly shows the criticality of the spin-density-wave quantum phase transition in three space dimensions.     

Quantum phase transitions in mesoscopic Rashba rings

Novel quantum phases are found in the ground state of Rashba ring: the orbital magnetic phase (OMP), non-OMP, pseudo-OMP and quasi-OMP, which depend on the spin-orbit interaction (SOI) strength, electron number and ring size. We give the phase diagram and their quantum-phase-transition conditions.     

Quantum phase transitions in matrix product systems

We investigate quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in spin chain systems characterized by local Hamiltonians with matrix product ground states. We show how to theoretically engineer such QPT points between states with predetermined properties. While some of the characteristics of these transitions are familiar, like the appearance of singularities in the thermodynamic limit, diverging correlation length, and vanishing energy gap, others differ from the standard paradigm: In particular, the ground state energy remains analytic, and the entanglement entropy of a half-chain stays finite. Examples demonstrate that these kinds of transitions can occur at the triple point of "conventional" QPTs.     

Coexistence of ferro- and antiferromagnetism and phase transitions in itinerant electron systems

It is shown from a general point of view that the coexistence of ferro- and antiferromagnetism with a symmetry-breaking is possible in certain itinerant electron systems where the wave vector dependent susceptibility χ_q⁰ without the electron-electron interaction has two peaks at q = 0 and q = Q, the antiferromagnetic vector. The conditions for the coexistence and the possible phase diagrams in the H-T plane and the nature of phase transitions are discussed.