Density functional approach to quantum lattice systems

For quantum lattice systems, we consider the problem of characterizing the set of single-particle densities,, which come from the ground-state eigenspace of someN-particle Hamiltonian of the form whereH ₀ is a fixed, bounded operator representing the kinetic and interaction energies. We show that the conditions on are that it be strictly positive, properly normalized, and consistent with the Pauli principle. Our results are valid for both finite and infinite lattices and for either bosons or fermions. The Coulomb interaction may be included inH ₀ if the lattice dimension is 2. We also characterize those single-particle densities which come from the Gibbs states of such Hamiltonians at finite temperature. In addition to the conditions stated above, must satisfy a finite entropy condition.Research supported by the National Science Foundation under grant No. PHY-82-03669.Research supported by Office of Naval Research under grant No. 0014-80-G-0084.On leave from Department of Mathematics, University of Lowell, Massachusetts 01854.     

Low temperature phase diagrams for quantum perturbations of classical spin systems

We consider a quantum spin system with Hamiltonian $$H = H^{(0)} + \lambda V,$$ whereH ⁽⁰⁾ is diagonal in a basis ∣s〉=? _x ∣s _x 〉 which may be labeled by the configurationss={s_x} of a suitable classical spin system on ? ^d , $$H^{(0)} |s\rangle = H^{(0)} (s)|s\rangle .$$ We assume thatH ⁽⁰⁾(s) is a finite range Hamiltonian with finitely many ground states and a suitable Peierls condition for excitation, whileV is a finite range or exponentially decaying quantum perturbation. Mapping thed dimensional quantum system onto aclassical contour system on ad+1 dimensional lattice, we use standard Pirogov-Sinai theory to show that the low temperature phase diagram of the quantum spin system is a small perturbation of the zero temperature phase diagram of the classical HamiltonianH ⁽⁰⁾, provided λ is sufficiently small. Our method can be applied to bosonic systems without substantial change. The extension to fermionic systems will be discussed in a subsequent paper.     

Long-Range Orders in Models of Itinerant Electrons Interacting with Heavy Quantum Fields

The Falicov–Kimball model consists of itinerant lattice fermions interacting with Ising spins by an on-site potential of strength U. Kennedy and Lieb proved that at half filling there is a low temperature phase with chessboard long range order on ^d , d2, for all non-zero values of U. Here we investigate the stability of this phase when small quantum fluctuations of the Ising spins are introduced in two different ways. The first one corresponds to replace the classical spins by quantum two level systems attached to each site of the lattice. In the second one we interpret the spins as occupation numbers of localized f-electrons or heavy ions which have a small kinetic energy. This leads to the so-called asymmetric Hubbard model. For both models we prove that for all non-zero values of U the long range order of the original Falicov–Kimball model remains stable if the additional quantum fluctuations are small enough. This result is proved by non-perturbative methods based on a chessboard estimate and the principle of exponential localisation. In order to derive the chessboard estimate the phase factors in the kinetic energy of fermions must have a flux equal to . We also investigate the models where the fermions are replaced by hard-core bosons and prove the same result for large U. For hard core bosons the kinetic term is the conventional one with zero phase factors. For small U and hard-core bosons we find that there is an off-diagonal long range order for low enough temperature and any strength of the additional quantum fluctuations. Open problems are discussed.     

Static and dynamic properties of XY systems with extended defects in cubic anisotropic crystallines

Static and dynamic critical behavior ofXY systems in cubic anisotropic crystallines, with extended defects (or quenched nonmagnetic impurities) strongly correlated along _d -dimensional space and randomly distributed ind – _d dimensions, were studied. These extended defects make the systems coordinate anisotropic, resulting in unique critical behavior due to competition between the cubic anisotropy and the coordinate anisotropy. The systems were analyzed by an ^1/2 (4 – d) type of expansion with double expansion parameters based on a renormalization-group (RG) approach. Critical exponents were calculated near the second-order phase transition point and the behavior of the first-order transition was evaluated near the tricritical point.     

Exact density of states for lowest Landau level in white noise potential superfield representation for interacting systems

The density of states of two-dimensional electrons in a strong perpendicular magnetic field and white-noise potential is calculated exactly under the provision that only the states of the free electrons in the lowest Landau level are taken into account. It is used that the integral over the coordinates in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field in a Feynman graph yields the inverse of the number of Euler trails through the graph, whereas the weight by which a Feynman graph contributes in this disordered system is times that of the corresponding interacting system. Thus the factors cancel which allows the reduction of thed dimensional disordered problem to a (d-2) dimensional ⁴ interaction problem. The inverse procedure and the equivalence of disordered harmonic systems with interacting systems of superfields is used to give a mapping of interacting systems withU(1) invariance ind dimensions to interacting systems with UPL(1,1) invariance in (d+2) dimensions. The partition function of the new systems is unity so that systems with quenched disorder can be treated by averaging exp(–H) without recourse to the replica trick.Supported in part by the DFG through SFB123 Stochastic Mathematical Models     

Perturbation theory of the Fermi surface in a quantum liquid. A general quasiparticle formalism and one-dimensional systems

We develop a perturbation theory formalism for the theory of the Fermi surface in a Fermi liquid of particles interacting via a bounded short-range repulsive pair potential. The formalism is based on the renormalization group and provides a formal expansion of the large-distance Schwinger functions in terms of a family of running couplings consisting of one- and two-body quasiparticle potentials. The flow of the running couplings is described in terms of a beta function, which is studied to all orders of perturbation theory and shown to obey, in thenth order,n! bounds. The flow equations are written in general dimensiond1 for the spinless case (for simplicity). The picture that emerges is that on a large scale the system looks like a system of fermions interacting via a-like interaction potential (i.e., a potential approaching 0 everywhere except at the origin, where it diverges, although keeping the integral bounded); the theory is not asymptotically free in the usual sense and the freedom mechanism is thus more delicate than usual: the technical problem of dealing with unbounded effective potentials is solved by introducing a mathematically precise notion ofquasiparticles, which turn out to be natural objects with finite interaction even when the physical potential diverges as a deltalike function. A remarkable kind of gauge symmetry is associated with the quasiparticles. To substantiate the analogy with the quasiparticle theory we discuss the mean field theory using our notion of quasiparticles: the resulting self-consistency relations are closely reminiscent of those of the BCS model. The formalism seems suited for a joint theory of normal states of Fermi liquids and of BCS states: the first are associated with the trivial fixed point of our flow or with nearby nontrivial fixed points (or invariant sets) and the second may naturally correspond to really nontrivial fixed points (which may nevertheless turn out to be accessible to analysis because the BCS state is a quasi free state, hence quite simple, unlike the nontrivial fixed points of field theory). Thed=1 case is deeply different from thed> 1 case, for our spinless fermions: we can treat it essentially completely for small coupling. The system is not asymptotically free and presents anomalous renormalization group flow with a vanishing beta function, and the discontinuity of the occupation number at the Fermi surface is smoothed by the interaction (remaining singular with a coupling-dependent singularity of power type with exponent identified with the anomalous dimension). Finally, we present a heuristic discussion of the theory for the flow of the running coupling constants in spinlessd> 1 systems: their structure is simplified further and the relevant part of the running interaction is precisely the interaction between pairs of quasiparticles which we identify with the Cooper pairs of superconductivity. The formal perturbation theory seems to have a chance to work only if the interaction between the Cooper pairs is repulsive: and to second order we show that in the spin-0 case this happens if the physical potential is repulsive. Our results indicate the possibility of the existence of a normal Fermi surface only if the interaction is repulsive.     

On the critical dynamics of disordered spin systems

The dynamic critical behaviour of spin systems with quenched impurities, and of amorphous spin systems as characterized by the additional presence of random anisotropy directions, is studied by renormalization group methods to second order in=4–d. For the Halperin-Hohenberg-Ma model with purely relaxational dynamics it is concluded that in three dimensions (d=3) the critical slowing down should be enhanced by impurities for systems with Ising type statics, whereas there is no change forXY- and Heisenberg systems. For amorphous systems, however, the critical dynamics should change also in theXY- and Heisenberg cases. Furthermore, it is concluded that additional conserved, but noncritical modes become always statically decoupled from the order parameter for systems with impurities, but not for amorphous systems. Thus, for the impure system, the energy density mode and the asymmetric models of Halperin, Hohenberg and Siggia are ruled out. But the effects of dynamic coupling remain: Especially, the relationz=d/2 for the dynamic exponent of planar and isotropic antiferromagnets is modified for impure or amorphous systems.     

States of physical systems

States of physical systems may be represented by states onB*-algebras, satisfying certain requirements of physical origin. We discuss such requirements as are associated with the presence of unbounded observables or invariance under a group. It is possible in certain cases to obtain a unique decomposition of states invariant under a group into extremal invariant states. Our main results is such a decomposition theorem when the group is the translation group in dimensions and theB*-algebra satisfies a certain locality condition. An application of this theorem is made to representations of the canonical anticommutation relations.     

Variational theory for correlated lattice fermions in high dimensions

A diagrammatic approach to the evaluation of correlated variational wave functions for strongly interacting fermions is presented. Diagrammatic rules for the calculation of the one-particle density matrix and the Hubbard interaction are derived which are valid for arbitraryd-dimensional lattices. An exact evaluation of expectation values is performed in the limitd=. The wellknown Gutzwiller approximation is seen to become the exact result for the expectation value of the Hubbard Hamiltonian in terms of the Gutzwiller wave function ind=. An efficient procedure to correct the Gutzwiller approximation in finite dimensions is developed. A detailed discussion of expectation values ind= in terms of explicit antiferromagnetic wave functions is given. Thereby an approximate result for the ground state energy of the Hubbard model, obtained recently within a slave-boson approach, is recovered.     

Rounding effects of quenched randomness on first-order phase transitions

Frozen-in disorder in an otherwise homogeneous system, is modeled by interaction terms with random coefficients, given by independent random variables with a translation-invariant distribution. For such systems, it is proven that ind=2 dimensions there can be no first-order phase transition associated with discontinuities in the thermal average of a quantity coupled to the randomized parameter. Discontinuities which would amount to a continuous symmetry breaking, in systems which are (stochastically) invariant under the action of a continuous subgroup ofO(N), are suppressed by the randomness in dimensionsd4. Specific implications are found in the Random-Field Ising Model, for which we conclude that ind=2 dimensions at all (,h) the Gibbs state is unique for almost all field configurations, and in the Random-Bond Potts Model where the general phenomenon is manifested in the vanishing of the latent heat at the transition point. The results are explained by the argument of Imry and Ma [1]. The proofs involve the analysis of fluctuations of free energy differences, which are shown (using martingale techniques) to be Gaussian on the suitable scale.Dedicated to R. L. Dobrushin, on the occasion of his 60^th birthdayAlso in the Physics DepartmentResearch partially supported by NSF grants PHY-8896163 and PHY-8912067Work done in part at Rutgers University, Department of Mathematics     

Higher algebraic structures and quantization

We derive (quasi-)quantum groups in 2+1 dimensional topological field theory directly from the classical action and the path integral. Detailed computations are carried out for the Chern-Simons theory with finite gauge group. The principles behind our computations are presumably more general. We extend the classical action in ad+1 dimensional topological theory to manifolds of dimension less thand+1. We then construct a generalized path integral which ind+1 dimensions reduces to the standard one and ind dimensions reproduces the quantum Hilbert space. In a 2+1 dimensional topological theory the path integral over the circle is the category of representations of a quasi-quantum group. In this paper we only consider finite theories, in which the generalized path integral reduces to a finite sum. New ideas are needed to extend beyond the finite theories treated here.The author is supported by NSF grant DMS-8805684, a Presidential Young Investigators award DMS-9057144, and by the O'Donnell Foundation. He warmly thanks the Geometry Center at the University of Minnesota for their hospitality while this work was undertaken     

Phase diagram of the Hubbard model with arbitrary band filling

The finite temperature phase diagram of the Hubbard model ind=2 andd=3 is calculated for arbitrary values of the parameterU/t and chemical potential using a quantum real space renormalization group. Evidence for a ferromagnetic phase at low temperatures is presented.     

Wave functions in disordered systems

Particular solutions of the stationary Schrödinger equation for ad-dimensional disordered tight binding model are found. The particular solution is defined by boundary conditions on one face of the system. The determination of the rate of growth of the mean square wave function leads to an exactly soluble eigenvalue problem ind – 1 dimensions. Ford 2 there are three types of particular wave functions in which the mean square amplitude (a) grows exponentially (b) decays exponentially (c) does not grow or decay but oscillates.Supported in part by the National Science Foundation under grant No. DMR 78-10276.     

Propositions and orthocomplementation in quantum logic

We briefly analyze two partial order relations that are usually introduced in quantum logic by making use of the concepts of yes-no experiment and of preparation as fundamental. We show that two distinct posetsE andL can be defined, the latter being identifiable with the lattice of quantum logic. We consider the posetE and find that it contains a subsetE ₀ which can easily be orthocomplemented. These results are used, together with suitable assumptions, in order to show that an Orthocomplementation inL can be deduced by the Orthocomplementation defined inE ₀, and also to give a rule to find the orthocomplement of any element ofL.Research sponsored by C.N.R. (Italy).     

The ground state energy per particle for infinite particle quantum systems

We give a simple proof that the ground state energy per particle for several interacting particle systems is monotone and bounded as the number of particles increases. Some of the systems for which the proof holds are anharmonic oscillator approximations to || _d ^/4 quantum fields, many body Schrödinger operators with nearest and next to nearest neighbor couplings, and systems whose energy is given by operators which are not restricted to being differential operators.Research partially supported by the National Science Foundation under grant No. MCS-77-03568     

Logic of infinite quantum systems

Limits of sequences of finite-dimensional (AF)C ^*-algebras, such as the CAR algebra for the ideal Fermi gas, are a standard mathematical tool to describe quantum statistical systems arising as thermodynamic limits of finite spin systems. Only in the infinite-volume limit one can, for instance, describe phase transitions as singularities in the thermodynamic potentials, and handle the proliferation of physically inequivalent Hilbert space representations of a system with infinitely many degrees of freedom. As is well known, commutative AFC ^*-algebras correspond to countable Boolean algebras, i.e., algebras of propositions in the classical two-valued calculus. We investigate thenoncommutative logic properties of general AFC ^*-algebras, and their corresponding systems. We stress the interplay between Gödel incompleteness and quotient structures in the light of the nature does not have ideals program, stating that there are no quotient structures in physics. We interpret AFC ^*-algebras as algebras of the infinite-valued calculus of Lukasiewicz, i.e., algebras of propositions in Ulam's twenty questions game with lies.     

Symmetry breaking and finite-size effects in quantum many-body systems

We consider a quantum many-body system on a lattice which exhibits a spontaneous symmetry breaking in its infinite-volume ground states, but in which the corresponding order operator does not commute with the Hamiltonian. Typical examples are the Heisenberg antiferromagnet with a Néel order and the Hubbard model with a (superconducting) off-diagonal long-range order. In the corresponding finite system, the symmetry breaking is usually obscured by quantum fluctuation and one gets a symmetric ground state with a long-range order. In such a situation, Horsch and von der Linden proved that the finite system has a low-lying eigenstate whose excitation energy is not more than of orderN ^–1, whereN denotes the number of sites in the lattice. Here we study the situation where the broken symmetry is a continuous one. For a particular set of states (which are orthogonal to the ground state and with each other), we prove bounds for their energy expectation values. The bounds establish that there exist ever-increasing numbers of low-lying eigenstates whose excitation energies are bounded by a constant timesN ^–1. A crucial feature of the particular low-lying states we consider is that they can be regarded as finite-volume counterparts of the infinite-volume ground states. By forming linear combinations of these low-lying states and the (finite-volume) ground state and by taking infinite-volume limits, we construct infinite-volume ground states with explicit symmetry breaking. We conjecture that these infinite-volume ground states are ergodic, i.e., physically natural. Our general theorems not only shed light on the nature of symmetry breaking in quantum many-body systems, but also provide indispensable information for numerical approaches to these systems. We also discuss applications of our general results to a variety of interesting examples. The present paper is intended to be accessible to readers without background in mathematical approaches to quantum many-body systems.     

1/d corrections for interacting spinless fermions: One-particle properties

One-particle properties of the spinless fermion model with repulsion at half filling are calculated within an approach correct to first order in the inverse of the lattice dimensiond. Continuity of the limitd requires a scaling of the nearest-neighbour hopping proportional to and of the nearest-neighbour interaction proportional to 1/d. Due to this scaling the Hartree approximation becomes exact in infinite dimensions. We show that 1/d corrections comprise the Fock diagram and the local correlation diagram in the self-consistent Dyson equation. This approach is applied to simple-cubic systems in dimensiond=1, 2 and 3. Ground state properties and the charge-density wave phase diagram are calculated. AtT=0 the inclusion of 1/d terms gives only small corrections to the leading Hartree contribution ind=2, 3. ForT>0, however, the 1/d corrections are important. They lead to a non-negligible reduction of the critical temperature. Ind=1 the 1/d corrections are very large, but they do not succeed in removing the spurious phase transition atT>0. The 1/d approach provides a good and tractable approximation ind=3 and probably ind=2, which allows also further systematic improvement.     

Stability of nonstationary states of classical,many-body dynamical systems

We summarize recent arguments which show that for a broad class of classical, many-body dynamical model systems with short-range interactions (such as coupled maps, cellular automata, or partial differential equations), collectively chaotic states—nonstationary states wherein some Fourier amplitude varies chaotically in time—cannot occur generically. While chaos occurs ubiquitously on alocal level in such systems, the macroscopic state of the system typically remains periodic or stationary. This implies that the dimensionD of chaotic (strange) attractors must diverge with the linear sizeL of the system likeD(L/C)^d ind space dimensions, where (<) is the spatial coherence length. We also summarize recent work which demonstrates that in spatially isotropic systems that have short-range interactions and evolve (like coupled maps) in discrete time, periodic states are never stable under generic conditions. In spatially anisotropic systems, however, short-range interactions that exploit the anisotropy and so allow for the stabilization of periodic states do exist.     

Convergence to the ground-state energy in the thermodynamic limit of the Ising model in a strong transverse field

For the quantum mechanical Ising model in a strong transverse field we show that the convergence of the ground-state energy per site as the volume goes to infinity has an Ornstein-Zernicke behavior. That is, if the diameter of thed-dimensional lattice is given byL, the absolute value of the difference of the ground-state energy per site and its limit is asymptotically exp(-L)L ^–d/2 for some positive constant. We also show that the correlation function has the same behavior. Our results are derived by cluster expansions, using a method of Bricmont and Fröhlich which we extend to the quantum mechanical case.