Microscopic Theory of the Two-Dimensional Quantum Antiferromagnet in a Paramagnetic Phase

We have developed a consistent theory of the Heisenberg quantum antiferromagnet in the disordered phase with a short range antiferromagnetic order on the basis of the path integral for spin coherent states. In the framework of our approach we have obtained the response function for the spin fluctuations for all values of the frequency ω and the wave vector k and have calculated the free energy of the system. We have also reproduced the known results for the spin correlation length in the lowest order in 1/N. We have presented the Lagrangian of the theory in a form which is explicitly invariant under rotations and found natural variables in terms of which one can construct a natural perturbation theory. The short wave spin fluctuations are similar to those in the spin wave theory and they are on the order of the smallness parameter 1/2s where s is the spin magnitude. The long-wave spin fluctuations are governed by the nonlinear sigma model and are on the order of the smallness parameter 1/N, where N is the number of field components. We also have shown that the short wave spin fluctuations must be evaluated accurately and the continuum limit in time of the path integral must be performed after the summation over the frequencies ω.     

Magnetic susceptibility of the spin polaron states in the s-f exchange model above curie temperature

The static spin susceptibility tensor of magnetic semiconductor in a framework of the s-f exchange model above the Curie temperature is calculated. The Feynman path integral variational method is used to take into account the spin polaron formation. Free energy estimations of the phenomenological theory of Krivoglaz are justified microscopically. The spin polaron effect on ESR frequencies is considered.     

Euclidean quantum gravity on a lattice

We construct a number of related euclidean lattice formulations of quantum gravity. The first version incorporates a path integral over discrete manifolds built out of four-cubes embedded in a higher dimensional flat hypercubic lattice. We show this expression is equal to a corresponding path integral in a local lattice field theory. The field theoretic path integral diverges and lacks a satisfactory vacuum state. This divergence can be interpreted as a consequence of a divergent phase space available for topological fluctuations in the four-manifolds of the original path integral. A modified version of the path integral over manifolds converges. We construct a Schrödinger equation and hamiltonian for the modified theory. The hamiltonian is self-adjoint, but as a result of the large phase space available for topological fluctuations, the hamiltonian's spectrum is probably not bounded from below. We show briefly how the flat enveloping space—time can be removed from most of the theories we present and how matter fields can be included.     

Long-wavelength dynamics of the two-dimensional antiferromagnet

We perform the long-wavelength reduction of the two-dimensional quantum lattice rotator model. An intermediate scale is introduced and the short-wavelength antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations are integrated out. The saddle-point solution for the generalized continuous sigma-model in terms of parameters of the initial model is constructed.     

Pseudogap and the Fermi surface in the t-J model

We calculate spectral functions within the t-J model as relevant to cuprates in the regime from low to optimum doping. On the basis of equations of motion for projected operators an effective spin-fermion coupling is derived. The self-energy due to short-wavelength transverse spin fluctuations is shown to lead to a modified self-consistent Born approximation, which can explain strong asymmetry between hole and electron quasiparticles. The coupling to long-wavelength longitudinal spin fluctuations governs the low-frequency behavior and results in a pseudogap behavior, which at low doping effectively truncates the Fermi surface.     

Coherent State Path Integral for the Harmonic Oscillator and a Spin Particle in a Constant Magnetic field

Definition and formulas for harmonic oscillator coherent states and spin coherent states are reviewed in detail. The path integral formalism and its relation with the partition function of a system are also reviewed. The harmonic oscillator coherent state path integral is evaluated exactly at the discrete level and then used to find its continuum limit using various regularizations. The computation of the path integral for a particle of spin s put in a constant magnetic field is carried out using harmonic oscillator coherent states and spin coherent states, with a careful analysis of infinitesimal terms (in 1/N where N is the number of time slices) appearing in the Lagrangian. A mapping of the spin system into a CP¹ model is shown explicitly. The theory of a spinless particle in the field of a magnetic monopole and its relation with the spin system are explained. The equivalence of these two models is established up to infinitesimal order by the introduction of an external field correction. This gives a new representation of a coherent state path integral in terms of a more familiar Feynman path integral.     

Dynamic density and spin responses of a superfluid Fermi gas in the BCS–BEC crossover: Path integral formulation and pair fluctuation theory

We present a standard field theoretical derivation of the dynamic density and spin linear response functions of a dilute superfluid Fermi gas in the BCS–BEC crossover in both three and two dimensions. The derivation of the response functions is based on the elegant functional path integral approach which allows us to calculate the density–density and spin–spin correlation functions by introducing the external sources for the density and the spin density. Since the generating functional cannot be evaluated exactly, we consider two gapless approximations which ensure a gapless collective mode (Goldstone mode) in the superfluid state: the BCS–Leggett mean-field theory and the Gaussian-pair-fluctuation (GPF) theory. In the mean-field theory, our results of the response functions agree with the known results from the random phase approximation. We further consider the pair fluctuation effects and establish a theoretical framework for the dynamic responses within the GPF theory. We show that the GPF response theory naturally recovers three kinds of famous diagrammatic contributions: the Self-Energy contribution, the Aslamazov–Lakin contribution, and the Maki–Thompson contribution. We also show that unlike the equilibrium state, in evaluating the response functions, the linear (first-order) terms in the external sources as well as the induced order parameter perturbations should be treated carefully. In the superfluid state, there is an additional order parameter contribution which ensures that in the static and long wavelength limit, the density response function recovers the result of the compressibility (compressibility sum rule). We expect that the f$f$-sum rule is manifested by the full number equation which includes the contribution from the Gaussian pair fluctuations. The dynamic density and spin response functions in the normal phase (above the superfluid critical temperature) are also derived within the Nozières–Schmitt–Rink (NSR) theory.     

Path integral and effective Hamiltonian in loop quantum cosmology

We study the path integral formulation of Friedmann universe filled with a massless scalar field in loop quantum cosmology. All the isotropic models of $k=0,+1,-1$ are considered. To construct the path integrals in the timeless framework, a multiple group-averaging approach is proposed. Meanwhile, since the transition amplitude in the deparameterized framework can be expressed in terms of group-averaging, the path integrals can be formulated for both deparameterized and timeless frameworks. Their relation is clarified. It turns out that the effective Hamiltonian derived from the path integral in deparameterized framework is equivalent to the effective Hamiltonian constraint derived from the path integral in timeless framework, since they lead to same equations of motion. Moreover, the effective Hamiltonian constraints of above models derived in canonical theory are confirmed by the path integral formulation.     

The quantum geometry of spin and statistics

Both, spin and statistics of a quantum system can be seen to arise from underlying (quantum) group symmetries. We show that the spin–statistics theorem is equivalent to a unification of these symmetries. Besides covering the Bose–Fermi case we classify the corresponding possibilities for anyonic spin and statistics. We incorporate the underlying extended concept of symmetry into quantum field theory in a generalised path integral formulation capable of handling general braid statistics. For bosons and fermions the different path integrals and Feynman rules naturally emerge without introducing Grassmann variables. We also consider the anyonic example of quons and obtain the path integral counterpart to the usual canonical approach.     

Partition functions and physical states in two-dimensional quantum gravity and supergravity

We review the Liouville theory calculation of the genus-one path integral for c 1 conformal models coupled to two-dimensional gravity. From the modular integrand we derive the existence of an infinite number of physical operators which are in one-to-one correspondence with the conformal primary fields and null states of the matter theory. We also calculate the torus path integral and find the spectrum of physical operators for superconformal models coupled to supergravity. The amplitude in the odd spin structure requires a special treatment and is found to be proportional to the Witten index of the matter theory.     

Relativistic quantum field theory with fractional spin and statistics

We construct a relativistic quantum field theory in 2 + 1 dimensions whose Fock states provide a multivalued representation of the Poincaré group. We add a topological term to the action of a scalar field theory and we show that this endows the path integral of the theory with an operator-valued cocycle which modifies the transformation properties of physical states. We demonstrate that one-particle states carry (in general) fractional spin. We determine the spin of many-particle states and we prove a generalized spin-statistics relation. We propose an equation of motion for on-shell states which generalizes naturally the Dirac equation.     

Path integral treatment for relativistic particles in external fields and quantized plane wave

The dynamics of relativistic particles of spin 0 and 1/2, interacting with an external electromagnetic field and a quantized plane wave, is studied using the path integral framework. We take advantage of the existing properties of the interaction to introduce a delta functional in order to calculate Green's functions. This simply reduces the problem to two coupled oscillators. The energy spectrum and wave functions are calculated for the spin 0 case and the analogy with Jaynes‐Cummings model is made to derive the energy spectrum for the spin 1/2 case.     

An interpretation of renormalization prescription ambiguities in path integral formulation

We discuss the renormalization of bilinear composite operators in a Fujikawa path integral framework at one loop level in the setting of a Yukawa-type theory. We show that all ambiguities in their renormalization can be understood within the context of path integral approach as arising from the arbitrariness in the choice of basis for the definition of path integral. We conjecture that the renormalization ambiguities may have a deeper origin and significance than one normally associated with.     

Invariants of Spin Networks Embedded in Three-Manifolds

We study the invariants of spin networks embedded in a three-dimensional manifold which are based on the path integral for SU(2) BF-Theory. These invariants appear naturally in Loop Quantum Gravity, and have been defined as spin-foam state sums. By using the Chain-Mail technique, we give a more general definition of these invariants, and show that the state-sum definition is a special case. This provides a rigorous proof that the state-sum invariants of spin networks are topological invariants. We derive various results about the BF-Theory spin network invariants, and we find a relation with the corresponding invariants defined from Chern-Simons Theory, i.e. the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants. We also prove that the BF-Theory spin network invariants coincide with V. Turaev’s definition of invariants of coloured graphs embedded in 3-manifolds and thick surfaces, constructed by using shadow-world evaluations. Our framework therefore provides a unified view of these invariants.     

Quantum Symmetry for a System with a Singular Lagrangian Containing Subsidiary Condition

The quantization for a system with a singular Lagrangian containing subsidiary constrained conditions in configuration space is studied. The system is called constrained singular system. In certain case, the constrained singular system can be brought into the theoretical framework of the constrained Hamilton system. A modified Dirac-Bergmann algorithm for the calculation of constraints in the system is deduced. The path integral quantization is formulated by using the Faddeev-Senjanovic scheme, and the classical/quantum Noether theorem in canonical formalism are also established for such a system. The application of the results to study the fractional spin in non-Abelian Chern-Simons theory is given. We make a precise investigation of the fractional spin for such a system at the quantal level. A simple example is presented to show that the connection between the symmetry and conservation law in classical theories in general is no longer preserved in quantum theories.     

Comparison of calculation methods for the tunnel splitting at excited states of biaxial spin models

We present the calculation and comparison of tunnel splitting at excited levels of biaxial spin models by various methods, including the generalized instanton method, the generalized path integral method for coherent spin states, the perturbation method, and the exact method by numerical diagonalization of the Hamiltonian. It is found that, for integer spin with spin number around 10, tunnel splitting predicted by the generalized path integral for coherent spin states is about 10^{-n} times of the exact numerical result for the nth excited level, while the ratio of the results of the perturbation method and the exact numerical method diverges in the large spin limit. We thus conclude that the generalized instanton method is the best approximate way for calculating tunnel splitting in spin models.     

Ground state energy calculations of the ν=1/2 and the ν=5/2 FQHE system

We reconsider energy calculations of the spin polarized ν = 1/2 Chern-Simons theory. We show that one has to be careful in the definition of the Chern-Simons path integral in order to avoid an IR divergent magnetic ground state energy in RPA as in [J. Dietel et al, Eur. Phys. J. B 5, 439 (1998)]. We correct the path integral and get a well behaved magnetic energy by considering the energy of the maximal divergent graphs as well as the Hartree-Fock graphs. Furthermore, we consider the ν = 1/2 and the ν = 5/2 system with spin degrees of freedom. In doing this we formulate a Chern-Simons theory of the ν = 5/2 system by transforming the interaction operator to the next lower Landau level. We calculate the Coulomb energy of the spin polarized as well as the spin unpolarized ν = 1/2 and the ν = 5/2 system as a function of the interaction strength in RPA. These energies are in good agreement with numerical simulations of interacting electrons in the first as well as in the second Landau level. Furthermore, we calculate the compressibility, the effective mass and the excitations of the spin polarized ν = 2 + 1/ systems where is an even number. Received 13 June 2000     

Semi-classical spectrum of the continuous Heisenberg spin chain

We develop a path integral formalism that allows for semi-classical quantization of systems with spin degrees of freedom. We apply it to study the continuous Heisenberg spin chain, which has been known to possess interesting classical solutions. The calculated semi-classical spectrum turns out to be essentially exact. We also construct a new infinite series of conservation laws that are nonlocal generalizations of the spin.     

The self-consistent renormalization theory of longitudinal spin fluctuations for weak antiferromagnetic metals with degenerate bands

We develop the self-consistent renormalization theory of spin fluctuations (the SCR theory) for weak antiferromagnetic metals with the single band to the SCR theory with the degenerate bands. The longitudinal spin fluctuations and the longitudinal dynamical susceptibility based on the Hubbard model with the degenerate bands are investigated. As a result, the longitudinal spin fluctuations and the longitudinal dynamical susceptibility are increased with the degeneracy of the band. The Néel temperature is lowered with our increasing the degeneracy of the band.