Stability of bipolarons in the presence of a magnetic field.

Abstract

The stability of large Fr\ohlich bipolarons in the presence of a static magnetic field is investigated with the path integral formalism. We find that the application of a magnetic field (characterized by the cyclotron frequency ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$) favors bipolaron formation: (i) The critical electron-phonon coupling parameter ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathit{c}}$ (above which the bipolaron is stable) decreases with increasing ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$ and (ii) the critical Coulomb repulsion strength ${\mathit{U}}_{\mathit{C}}$ (below which the bipolaron is stable) increases with increasing ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$. The binding energy and the corresponding variational parameters are calculated as a function of \ensuremath{\alpha}, U, and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$. Analytical results are obtained in various limiting cases. In the limit of strong electron-phonon coupling (\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gg}1) we obtain for ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\ll}1 that ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{estim}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{estim}}$(${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$=0)+c(u)${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{4}$ with c(u) an explicitly calculated constant, dependent on the ratio u=U/\ensuremath{\alpha}, where U is the strength of the Coulomb repulsion. This relation applies both in two dimensions (2D) and in 3D, but with a different expression for c(u). For ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\gg}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{2}$\ensuremath{\gg}1 we find in 3D ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{estim}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$-${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{2}$A(u)${\mathrm{ln}}^{2}$(${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$/${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}^{2}$) [also with an explicit analytical expression for A(u)] whereas in 2D ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathrm{estim}}^{2\mathrm{D}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$-\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\surd}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\pi}(u-2-\ensuremath{\surd}2)/2. The validity region of the Feynman-Jensen inequality for the present problem, bipolarons in a magnetic field, remains to be examined. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.