Incommensurate 2kF density wave quantum criticality in two-dimensional metals

Abstract

We revisit the problem of two dimensional metals in the vicinity of a quantum phase transition to incommensurate $\mathbf{Q}=2k_F$ charge density wave order, where the order parameter wave vector $\mathbf{Q}$ connects two hot spots on the Fermi surface with parallel tangents. Earlier theoretical works argued that such critical points are potentially unstable, if the Fermi surface at the hot spots is not sufficiently flat. Here we perform a controlled, perturbative renormalization group analysis and find a stable fixed point corresponding to a continuous quantum phase transition, which exhibits a strong dynamical nesting of the Fermi surface at the hot spots. We derive scaling forms of correlation functions at the critical point and discuss potential implications for experiments with transition metal dichalcogenides and rare-earth tellurides.