Quantum phase transitions in antiferromagnets and superfluids

We present a general introduction to the non-zero temperature dynamic and transport properties of low-dimensional systems near a quantum phase transition. Basic results are reviewed in the context of experiments on the spin-ladder compounds, insulating two-dimensional antiferromagnets, and double-layer quantum Hall systems. Recent large N computations on an extended t–J model (Phys. Rev. Lett. 83 (1999) 3916) motivate a global scenario of the quantum phases and transitions in the high-temperature superconductors, and connections are made to numerous experiments.     

Magnons versus free spinons in finite quantum frustrated antiferromagnets

We have investigated the validity of doping with a vacancy the J₁–J₃ frustrated Heisenberg model on a finite square lattice as a way to test the existence of fractional spin excitations. Using a generalized t–J₁–J₃ model we have computed the vacancy spectral functions in the self-consistent Born approximation. We have found that by including spiral fluctuations in the magnetic ground state, the spectral functions on finite systems agree very well with the unbiased exact ones. In contrast to the recent proposal that the quasiparticle weight reduction could be a signal of a spinon free excitation in finite systems, we have found strong evidence that such a reduction is due to the existence of spiral fluctuations.     

Kitaev模型与拓扑量子相变

文章通过在一种准一维路径上引入自旋算符的约当-维格纳（Jordan—Wigner）变换，证明了Kitaev自旋模型完全等价于一个不含任何非物理自由度的自由Majorana费米子模型。通过对偶变换，进一步证明了这个系统中存在的量子相变可用非定域的拓扑序参量来描述；并且，这些非定域的拓扑序参量在对偶空间变成为定域的朗道类型的序参量。文章作者的工作揭示了传统的量子相变和拓扑量子相变的内在关系，扩展了朗道二级相变理论的适用范围。     

Kitaev模型与拓扑量子相变

文章通过在一种准一维路径上引入自旋算符的约当-维格纳(Jordan-Wigner)变换,证明了Kitaev自旋模型完全等价于一个不含任何非物理自由度的自由Majorana费米子模型。通过对偶变换,进一步证明了这个系统中存在的量子相变可用非定域的拓扑序参量来描述;并且,这些非定域的拓扑序参量在对偶空间变成为定域的朗道类型的序参量。文章作者的工作揭示了传统的量子相变和拓扑量子相变的内在关系,扩展了朗道二级相变理论的适用范围。     

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。     

Quantum spherical model with competing interactions

We analyse the phase diagram of a quantum mean spherical model in terms of the temperature T$T$, a quantum parameter g$g$, and the ratio p=−_J2/_J1$p=-J_2/J_1$, where _J1>0$J_1>0$ refers to ferromagnetic interactions between first-neighbour sites along the d$d$ directions of a hypercubic lattice, and _J2<0$J_2<0$ is associated with competing antiferromagnetic interactions between second neighbours along m≤d$m\le d$ directions. We regain a number of known results for the classical version of this model, including the topology of the critical line in the g=0$g=0$ space, with a Lifshitz point at p=1/4$p=1/4$, for d>2$d>2$, and closed-form expressions for the decay of the pair correlations in one dimension. In the T=0$T=0$ phase diagram, there is a critical border, _gc=_gc(p)$g_c=g_c\left(p\right)$ for d≥2$d\ge 2$, with a singularity at the Lifshitz point if d<(m+4)/2$d<(m+4)/2$. We also establish upper and lower critical dimensions, and analyse the quantum critical behavior in the neighborhood of p=1/4$p=1/4$.     

拓扑相和拓扑相变的量子模拟

随着拓扑相和拓扑材料的发现,拓扑已经从数学概念变成现代凝聚态物理学一个重要的前沿方向。尽管越来越多的拓扑材料被预言,在人造可控量子体系中进行拓扑量子模拟仍会对材料的理解和制备起到极大的促进作用。文章简单总结了基于冷原子和超导量子比特系统开展拓扑量子模拟的进展。介绍了这两种量子系统的特点,以及相应的拓扑量子模拟实验方法,还分析了这两种体系在实验手段和物理原理上的联系。     

量子相变与几何相位

量子相变是凝聚态物理中的重要研究课题,而几何相位的发现是近几十年来量子力学中的重要进展,它们毫无关联地各自发展.但最近的研究表明,它们之间有密切联系：多体体系基态的几何相位在量子相变点附近具有标度性;不可收缩的几何相位可用来作为量子相变的标志等.文章将介绍最近在量子相变和几何相位的关系方面的研究进展,并用XY自旋链模型来详细说明.这些结果应会吸引凝聚态和几何相位领域工作的研究人员的关注和兴趣.     

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.     

Variational local moment approach: From Kondo effect to Mott transition in correlated electron systems

The variational local moment approach (VLMA) solution of the single impurity Anderson model is presented. It generalizes the local moment approach of Logan et al. by invoking the variational principle to determine the lengths of local moments and orbital occupancies. We show that VLMA is a comprehensive, conserving and thermodynamically consistent approximation and treats both Fermi and non-Fermi liquid regimes as well as local moment phases on equal footing. We tested VLMA on selected problems. We solved the single- and multi-orbital impurity Anderson model in various regions of parameters, where different types of Kondo effects occur. The application of VLMA as an impurity solver of the dynamical mean-field theory, used to solve the multi-orbital Hubbard model, is also addressed.     

Quantum phase transitions in Bose–Fermi systems

Quantum phase transitions in a system of N bosons with angular momentum L = 0, 2 (s, d) and a single fermion with angular momentum j are investigated both classically and quantum mechanically. It is shown that the presence of the odd fermion strongly influences the location and nature of the phase transition, especially the critical value of the control parameter at which the phase transition occurs. Experimental evidence for the U(5)–SU(3) (spherical to axially-deformed) transition in odd–even nuclei is presented.     

Quantum entanglement and quantum phase transitions in frustrated Majumdar-Ghosh model

By using the density matrix renormalization group technique, the quantum phase transitions in the frustrated Majumdar-Ghosh model are investigated. The behaviors of the conventional order parameter and the quantum entanglement entropy are analyzed in detail. The order parameter is found to peak at J₂∼0.58, but not at the Majumdar-Ghosh point (J₂=0.5). Although, the quantum entanglements calculated with different subsystems display dissimilarly, the extremes of their first derivatives approach to the same critical point. By finite size scaling, this quantum critical point J^C₂ converges to around 0.301 in the thermodynamic limit, which is consistent with those predicted previously by some authors (Tonegawa and Harada, 1987 [6]; Kuboki and Fukuyama, 1987 [7]; Chitra et al., 1995 [9]). Across the J^C₂, the system undergoes a quantum phase transition from a gapless spin-fluid phase to a gapped dimerized phase.     

Ground-state structural transitions in small clusters within the effective temperature framework

Ground-state structural transitions in finite-sized systems are studied in the Hubbard model. We use the concept of an effective temperature γ$\gamma$ that is directly related to the interactions among electrons. We have studied all the possible clusters, with nearest-neighbour hopping, for two, three and four sites. Furthermore, we have also analysed the octahedron and the seven-site Apollonian networks. We show that the clusters in which there is a ground-state phase transition are antiferromagnetically frustrated. The low temperature dependence for the specific heat and entropy allow us to infer that there is a V-shaped universal phase in finite clusters.     

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.     

Multiscale structures and phase transitions in metallic glasses:A scattering perspective

Amorphous materials are ubiquitous and widely used in human society, yet their structures are far from being fully understood. Metallic glasses, a new class of amorphous materials, have attracted a great deal of interests due to their exceptional properties. In recent years, our understanding of metallic glasses increases dramatically, thanks to the development of advanced instrumentation, such as in situ x-ray and neutron scattering. In this article, we provide a brief review of recent progress in study of the structure of metallic glasses. In particular, we will emphasize, from the scattering perspective, the multiscale structures of metallic glasses, i.e., short-to-medium range atomic packing, and phase transitions in the supercooled liquid region, e.g., crystallization and liquid-to-liquid phase transition. We will also discuss, based on the understanding of their structures and phase stability, the mechanical and magnetic properties of metallic glasses.     

Quantum phase transitions about parity breaking in matrix product systems

According to our scheme to construct quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in spin chain systems with matrix product ground states, we first successfully combine matrix product state (MPS) QPTs with spontaneous symmetry breaking. For a concrete model, we take into account a kind of MPS QPTs accompanied by spontaneous parity breaking, though for either side of the critical point the GS is typically unique, and show that the kind of MPS QPTs occur only in the thermodynamic limit and are accompanied by the appearance of singularities, diverging correlation length, vanishing energy gap and the entanglement entropy of a half-infinite chain not only staying finite but also whose first derivative discontinuous.     

Quantum phase transitions about parity breaking in matrix product systems

According to our scheme to construct quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in spin chain systems with matrix product ground states, we first successfully combine matrix product state (MPS) QPTs with spontaneous symmetry breaking. For a concrete model, we take into account a kind of MPS QPTs accompanied by spontaneous parity breaking, though for either side of the critical point the GS is typically unique, and show that the kind of MPS QPTs occur only in the thermodynamic limit and are accompanied by the appearance of singularities, diverging correlation length, vanishing energy gap and the entanglement entropy of a half-infinite chain not only staying finite but also whose first derivative discontinuous.     

Quantum phase transitions in Bose-Einstein condensates from a Bethe ansatz perspective

We investigate two solvable models for Bose-Einstein condensates and extract physical information by studying the structure of the solutions of their Bethe ansatz equations. A careful observation of these solutions for the ground state of both models, as we vary some parameters of the Hamiltonian, suggests a connection between the behavior of the roots of the Bethe ansatz equations and the physical behavior of the models. Then, by the use of standard techniques for approaching quantum phase transition - gap, entanglement and fidelity - we find that the change in the scenery in the roots of the Bethe ansatz equations is directly related to a quantum phase transition, thus providing an alternative method for its detection.