Low-energy representation of the projected BCS Hamiltonian close to half filling

Abstract

We investigate a connection between the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model and the strongly correlated Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) Hamiltonian, with the effect of strong electron correlations accounted by the Gutzwiller projection. We show that in the immediate vicinity of half filling the projected two-dimensional BCS Hamiltonian with strong pairing develops an antiferromagnetically ordered ground state. This result explicitly demonstrates that antiferromagnetism in this model appears as a natural consequence of the strong Coulomb repulsion in a low doped regime. At moderate doping the ground state of the Gutzwiller-projected BCS Hamiltonian is, in finite-system studies, known to become qualitatively similar to Anderson's resonating valence bond state which, in turn, fits nicely with the properties of the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model in that regime. Combined together, these two properties indicate that the projected BCS Hamiltonian at least qualitatively captures the essential low-energy physics of the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model in the underdoped region.