Extended dynamical mean field theory study of the periodic Anderson model

We investigate the competition of the Kondo and the RKKY interactions in heavy fermion systems. We solve a periodic Anderson model using extended dynamical mean field theory (EDMFT) with quantum Monte Carlo method. We monitor simultaneously the evolution of the electronic and magnetic properties. As the RKKY coupling increases the heavy fermion quasiparticle unbinds and a local moment forms. At a critical RKKY coupling there is an onset of magnetic order. Within EDMFT the two transitions occur at different points and the disappearance of the magnetism is not described by a local quantum critical point.     

Kondo effect in the presence of magnetic impurities

We measure transport through gold grain quantum dots fabricated using electromigration, with magnetic impurities in the leads. A Kondo interaction is observed between dot and leads, but the presence of magnetic impurities results in a gate-dependent zero-bias conductance peak that is split due to a RKKY interaction between the spin of the dot and the static spins of the impurities. A magnetic field restores the single Kondo peak in the case of an antiferromagnetic RKKY interaction. This system provides a new platform to study Kondo and RKKY interactions in metals at the level of a single spin.     

Coexistence of Charge Order and Antiferromagnetic Order in an Extended Periodic Anderson Model

The competition between the RKKY interaction and the Kondo effect leads to a magnetic phase transition,which occurs ubiquitously in heavy fermion materials.However,there are more and more experimental evidences indicating that the valence fluctuation plays an essential role in the Ce-and Y-based compounds.We study an extended periodic Anderson model(EPAM) which includes the onsite Coulomb repulsion Ucf between the localized electrons and conduction electrons.By employing the density matrix embed...     

Competition between Kondo and RKKY correlations in the presence of strong randomness

We propose that competition between Kondo and magnetic correlations results in a novel universality class for heavy fermion quantum criticality in the presence of strong randomness. Starting from an Anderson lattice model with disorder, we derive an effective local field theory in the dynamical mean-field theory approximation, where randomness is introduced into both hybridization and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions. Performing the saddle-point analysis in the U(1) slave-boson representation, we reveal its phase diagram which shows a quantum phase transition from a spin liquid state to a local Fermi liquid phase. In contrast with the clean limit case of the Anderson lattice model, the effective hybridization given by holon condensation turns out to vanish, resulting from the zero mean value of the hybridization coupling constant. However, we show that the holon density becomes finite when the variance of the hybridization is sufficiently larger than that of the RKKY coupling, giving rise to the Kondo effect. On the other hand, when the variance of the hybridization becomes smaller than that of the RKKY coupling, the Kondo effect disappears, resulting in a fully symmetric paramagnetic state, adiabatically connected to the spin liquid state of the disordered Heisenberg model. We investigate the quantum critical point beyond the mean-field approximation. Introducing quantum corrections fully self-consistently in the non-crossing approximation, we prove that the local charge susceptibility has exactly the same critical exponent as the local spin susceptibility, suggesting an enhanced symmetry at the local quantum critical point. This leads us to propose novel duality between the Kondo singlet phase and the critical local moment state beyond the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm. The Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson forbidden duality serves the mechanism of electron fractionalization in critical impurity dynamics, where such fractionalized excitations are identified with topological excitations.     

Kondo quantum dots and the novel Kondo-doublet interaction

We analyze the interactions between two Kondo quantum dots connected to a Rashba-active quantum wire. We find that the Kondo-doublet interaction, at an interdot distance of the order of the wire Fermi length, is over an order of magnitude greater than the RKKY interaction. The effects induced on the Kondo-doublet interaction by the wire spin-orbit coupling can be used to control the quantum dots spin-spin correlation. These results imply that the widely used assumption that the RKKY is the dominant interaction between Anderson impurities must be revised.     

Fermi surface and antiferromagnetism in the Kondo lattice: an asymptotically exact solution in d>1 dimensions

Interest in the heavy fermion metals has motivated us to examine the quantum phases and their Fermi surfaces within the Kondo lattice model. We demonstrate that the model is soluble asymptotically exactly in any dimension d>1, when the Kondo coupling is small compared with the RKKY interaction and in the presence of antiferromagnetic ordering. We show that the Kondo coupling is exactly marginal in the renormalization group sense, establishing the stability of an ordered phase with a small Fermi surface AFS. Our results have implications for the global phase diagram of the heavy fermion metals, suggesting a Lifshitz transition inside the antiferromagnetic region and providing a new perspective for a Kondo-destroying antiferromagnetic quantum critical point.     

Ferrimagnetism and metal–insulator transition in an organic polymer chain

The ferrimagnetism and quantum phase transition of a bipartite lozenge periodic Anderson-like organic polymer, in which the localized f electrons hybridize with the odd site conduction orbitals, are investigated by means of Green＇s function theory. The ground state turns out to be gapless ferrimagnetism. At a finite temperature, the ferrimagnetic-to- paramagnetic phase transition takes place. The Kondo screenings and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida （RKKY） inter- action can reduce and increase the transition temperature, respectively. Two Kondo screenings compete with each other, giving rise to the localized f electron spin screened antiferromagnetically. Accordingly, in a magnetic field, all spins are aligned along the chain easily, which is associated with metal-insulator transition. Furthermore, in a temperature-field plane, we reveal the gapless and spin polarized phases, which are characterized by susceptibility and specific heat, and whose behaviours are determined by the competition between the up-spin and down-spin hole excitations.     

Pressure-induced magnetic phase transitions in Yb Kondo lattice systems

In this paper we give a brief overview of the effect of pressure on the magnetic and electronic properties of Yb Kondo lattices using the ¹⁷⁰Yb Mössbauer technique, electrical resistance and X-ray diffraction. The selected materials were either nonmagnetic (YbCu₂Si₂ and Yb₂Ni₂Al) or ferromagnetic (YbNiSn). We show that pressure induces a first order transition to a magnetic ground state in both YbCu₂Si₂ and Yb₂Ni₂Al. In the former compound, the transition is accompanied by a valence change towards Yb³⁺ state. The behavior of both YbCu₂Si₂ and Yb₂Ni₂Al can be understood as resulting from a pressure enhancement of the RKKY interaction which finally dominates the Kondo effect. We demonstrate that the ground state properties of YbNiSn are governed by a volume dependent competition between anisotropic exchange interactions and crystal field anisotropy rather than by a direct competition between Kondo and RKKY interactions.     

Kondo quantum criticality of magnetic adatoms in graphene

We examine the exchange Hamiltonian for magnetic adatoms in graphene with localized inner shell states. On symmetry grounds, we predict the existence of a class of orbitals that lead to a distinct class of quantum critical points in graphene, where the Kondo temperature scales as TK∝|J-Jc|1/3 near the critical coupling Jc, and the local spin is effectively screened by a super-Ohmic bath. For this class, the RKKY interaction decays spatially with a fast power law ～1/R7. Away from half filling, we show that the exchange coupling in graphene can be controlled across the quantum critical region by gating. We propose that the vicinity of the Kondo quantum critical point can be directly accessed with scanning tunneling probes and gating.     

Two-stage Kondo effect in a quantum dot at a high magnetic field

We report a strong Kondo effect (Kondo temperature approximately 4 K) at high magnetic field in a selective area growth semiconductor quantum dot. The Kondo effect is ascribed to a singlet-triplet transition in the ground state of the dot. At the transition, the low-temperature conductance approaches the unitary limit. Away from the transition, for low bias voltages and temperatures, the conductance is sharply reduced. The observed behavior is compared to predictions for a two-stage Kondo effect in quantum dots coupled to single-channel leads.     

Implication of local moment at Ti and Fe sites for the electrical and magneto-transport properties of degenerate semiconducting Ti?-xFexO?-d epitaxial films

We have investigated the effect of local magnetic moment on the electrical and magneto-transport properties of thin films of the degenerate semiconductor Ti(1-x)Fe(x)O(2-d) (x = 0,0.04). The electrical measurements of these films reveal high temperature metallic behavior and resistivity minima. The behavior below the resistivity minimum temperature is ascribed to Kondo like scattering. The coupling between the local moment and the charge carriers is reflected in the magnetoresistance measurements in these films. This work indicates competition between the magnetic ordering mechanism by J(RKKY) and the moment screening mechanism by J(Kondo). Accordingly the role of carrier density in achieving the magnetic ordering in such materials either by defect engineering or by transition metal doping is discussed.     

Yb Mössbauer and neutron diffraction investigation of the antiferromagnetic phase in the Kondo lattices YbP and YbN

The Kondo lattices YbP and YbN (nonstoichiometric samples) have been investigated by ¹⁷⁰Yb Mössbauer spectroscopy, in the temperature range 0.085 K to 80 K in zero magnetic field in YbN and with an applied magnetic field at T=0.045 K in YbP and YbN, and by neutron diffraction in YbN. In both compounds, the antiferromagnetic transition at T_N0.7 K is first order and occurs through a progressive growth of paramagnetic domains as the temperature increases. The measured exchange interaction is much larger than k_BT_N in both compounds and it is found to be isotropic in YbP and anisotropic in YbN. The saturated magnetic moment in both compounds is reduced by 50% with respect to the value calculated from the crystal field and exchange interactions. These properties are interpreted in terms of the competition between the Kondo effect and the RKKY exchange interaction; using a model mean field NCA calculation to describe the magnetic phase, the Kondo temperatures T_K are found to be near 5–10 K.     

Recent progress in theoretical understanding of heavy fermion systems

A key to understand the physics of heavy Fermion systems is the competition between the RKKY interaction and the Kondo screening effect of magnetic moments. The Kondo lattice model is a theoretical model for which one can study the interplay. Recently the ground state phase diagram of the one‐dimensional Kondo lattice model has been completed. After reviewing the properties of the three phases in the phase diagram we discuss the Kondo insulator in one‐dimension with particular emphasis on the difference between the spin excitation gap and the charge excitation gap. We argue that the Kondo insulators may be distinguished from the ordinary band insulators by the difference between the two gaps. Another topic which is discussed in this article is the complicated magnetic phase diagram of the low‐carrier‐density system of cerium monopnictides. We propose that the new mechanism which exists for Kondo semimetals may be responsible for the complicated magnetic structures in these compounds. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Screening and interaction of magnetic impurities in Luttinger liquids

The spin and charge correlations induced in the conduction electron sea by the presence of a spin-1=2 magnetic impurity are investigated for one-dimensional electrons. For correlated conduction electrons, the RKKY interaction between magnetic impurities exhibits only a slow algebraic decay with distance. Increasing the exchange coupling between conduction electrons and magnetic impurity leads to a competition between the RKKY interaction and the Kondo effect. For a two-impurity model, we study the influence of the electronic correlations on this competition. Furthermore, the Kondo screening cloud and the local spin susceptibility far away from a magnetic impurity are discussed.     

First-order Kondo-frustated antiferromagnetic ordering in the heavy electron compound YbAs

¹⁷⁰Yb Mössbauer measurements show that the heavy electron compound YbAs undergoes a first order paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic transition centered at T_N=0.58K. The saturated 4f-shell magnetic moments are reduced by 47% relative to the value predicted by a crystal field model. A study of the line shapes below T_N in the presence of an external field shows that the RKKY exchange energy is about 20 times bigger than k_B T_N. These results show that YbAs presents a magnetic order frustrated by the Kondo effect.supported by CNPq     

Kondo-transport spectroscopy of single molecule magnets

We demonstrate that in a single molecule magnet strongly coupled to electrodes the Kondo effect involves all magnetic excitations. This Kondo effect is induced by the quantum tunneling of the magnetic moment. Importantly, the Kondo temperature TK can be much larger than the magnetic splittings. We find a strong modulation of the Kondo effect as a function of the transverse anisotropy parameter or a longitudinal magnetic field. Both for integer and half-integer spin this can be used for an accurate transport spectroscopy of the magnetic states in low magnetic fields on the order of the easy-axis anisotropy parameter. We set up a relationship between the Kondo effects for successive integer and half-integer spins.     

Ferromagnetism in the periodic Anderson model. A comparison of spectral density approximation (SDA), modified alloy analogy (MAA) and modified perturbation theory (MPT)

We compare different approximation schemes for investigating ferromagnetism in the periodic Anderson model. The use of several approximations allows for a detailed analysis of the implications of the respective methods, and also of the mechanisms driving the ferromagnetic transition. For the Kondo limit, our results confirm a previously proposed mechanism leading to ferromagnetic order, namely an RKKY exchange mediated via the formation of Kondo screening clouds in the conduction band. The contrary case is found in the intermediate-valence regime. Here, the bandshift correction ensuring a correct high-energy expansion of the self-energy is essential. Inclusion of damping effects reduces stability of the ferromagnetic phase. Received 5 June 2000 and Received in final form 3 August 2000     

Ordering of magnetic impurities and tunable electronic properties of topological insulators

We study collective behavior of magnetic adatoms randomly distributed on the surface of a topological insulator. Interactions of an ensemble of adatoms are frustrated, as the RKKY-type interactions of two adatom spins depend on the directions of spins relative to the vector connecting them. We show that at low temperatures the frustrated RKKY interactions give rise to two phases: an ordered ferromagnetic phase with spins pointing perpendicular to the surface, and a disordered spin-glass-like phase. The two phases are separated by a quantum phase transition driven by the magnetic exchange anisotropy. The ordered phase breaks time-reversal symmetry spontaneously, driving the surface states into a gapped state, which exhibits an anomalous quantum Hall effect and provides a realization of the parity anomaly. We find that the magnetic ordering is suppressed by potential scattering.     

稀磁合金中“电阻极大”现象的双杂质散射理论

本文基于s-d相互作用,考虑杂质之间存在RKKY相互作用,提出了一种新的双杂质散射模型。按照这个模型,当一个杂质作自旋翻转散射时,由于杂质之间存在着RKKY关联,它的自旋作为内部自由度会受到限制。由于这种关联,抑制了杂质的自旋翻转散射,结合Kondo的logT项,能形成电阻极大。本文计算了所有可能的“DIS”图(双杂质自能图),在Kondo电阻公式中加入了A/(T₀²—T²)这样的项。其中A是一个正常数。T₀是一个临界温度。当T≤T₀时,这个公式不再有意义。这个理论和已有的分子场理论在本质上是不同的.因为它并不依赖于合金中的磁有序.因此当T≥T_c时(T_c是磁有序转变温度),这种机制仍起作用,但分子场理论则不行.这是一种顺磁效应.我们和Cd-Mn(杂质浓度从0.01到0.1at./0)的实验曲线进行了比较,发现符合得很好.最后,我们认为即使在极低浓度下这种机制也是消除Kondo logT发散的主要原因. 关键词：     

Zero-temperature magnetic transition in an easy-axis Kondo lattice model

We address the quantum transition of a spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice model with an easy-axis anisotropy using the extended dynamical mean field theory. We derive results in real frequency by using the bosonic numerical renormalization group (BNRG) method and compare them with quantum Monte Carlo results in Matsubara frequency. The BNRG results show a logarithmic divergence in the critical local spin susceptibility, signaling a destruction of Kondo screening. The T=0 transition is consistent with being second order. The BNRG results also display some subtle features; we identify their origin and suggest means for further microscopic studies.