Mean-field Phase Diagram Research Articles

Spiral to stripe transition in the two-dimensional Hubbard model

We obtain an almost complete understanding of the mean-field phase diagram of the two-dimensional Hubbard model on a square lattice with a sizable next-nearest-neighbor hopping and a moderate interaction strength. In particular, we clarify the nature of the transition region between the spiral and the stripe phase. Complementing previous [] real-space Hartree-Fock calculations on large finite lattices, we solve the mean-field equations for coplanar unidirectional magnetic order directly in the thermodynamic limit, and we determine the nature of the magnetic states right below the mean-field critical temperature T* by a Landau free-energy analysis. While the magnetic order for filling factors n≥1 is always of Néel type, for n≤1 the following sequence of magnetic states is found as a function of increasing hole-doping: Néel, planar circular spiral, multispiral, and collinear spin-charge stripe states. Multispiral states are superpositions of several spirals with distinct wave vectors, and lead to concomitant charge order. We finally point out that nematic and charge orders inherited from the magnetic order can survive even in the presence of fluctuations, and we present a corresponding qualitative phase diagram. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Dynamical detection of mean-field topological phases in an interacting Chern insulator

Interactions generically have important effects on topological quantum phases. For a quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) insulator, the presence of interactions can qualitatively change a topological phase diagram, which, however, is typically hard to measure in an experiment. Here we propose a scheme based on quench dynamics to detect the mean-field topological phase diagram of an interacting Chern insulator described by the QAH-Hubbard model, with nontrivial dynamical quantum physics being uncovered. We focus on the dynamical properties of the system at a weak to intermediate Hubbard interaction, which mainly induces a ferromagnetic order under the mean-field level. Remarkably, three characteristic times---${t}_{s}, {t}_{c}$, and ${t}^{*}$---are found in the quench dynamics. The first two (${t}_{s},{t}_{c}$) capture the emergences of dynamical self-consistent particle density and the dynamical topological phase transition, respectively, while the third one (${t}^{*}$) gives a linear scaling time on the topological phase boundaries. We show generically that the characteristic times obey ${t}_{s}>{t}^{*}>{t}_{c}$ (${t}^{*}<{t}_{s}<{t}_{c}$) in the repulsive (attractive) interacting regime, when the system is quenched from an initial nearly fully polarized state to the topologically nontrivial regimes. Moreover, the Chern number of the equilibrium phase of postquench interacting Hamiltonian can be determined by any two of the three timescales, providing a dynamical way to determine the equilibrium mean-field topological phases. Experimentally, the measurement of ${t}_{s}$ is challenging, while ${t}_{c}$ and ${t}^{*}$ can be directly read out by measuring the spin polarizations of four Dirac points and the time-dependent particle density, respectively, showing the feasibility of the present dynamical scheme. Our work opens a way to detect by quench dynamics the mean-field phase diagram of Chern insulators with interactions.

Quantum Gutzwiller approach for the two-component Bose-Hubbard model

We study the effects of quantum fluctuations in the two-component Bose-Hubbard model generalizing to mixtures the quantum Gutzwiller approach introduced recently in [Phys. Rev. Research 2, 033276 (2020)]. As a basis for our study, we analyze the mean-field ground-state phase diagram and spectrum of elementary excitations, with particular emphasis on the quantum phase transitions of the model. Within the quantum critical regimes, we address both the superfluid transport properties and the linear response dynamics to density and spin probes of direct experimental relevance. Crucially, we find that quantum fluctuations have a dramatic effect on the drag between the superfluid species of the system, particularly in the vicinity of the paired and antipaired phases absent in the usual one-component Bose-Hubbard model. Additionally, we analyse the contributions of quantum corrections to the one-body coherence and density/spin fluctuations from the perspective of the collective modes of the system, providing results for the few-body correlations in all the regimes of the phase diagram.

Field-angle dependence of thermal transport in Kitaev-Γ model

We investigate the magnetic field effect on the Kitaev model with the Γ-type interaction, which plays an essential role in understanding the magnetic properties of real materials. We examine the mean-field phase diagram and thermal Hall conductivity using the linear spin-wave theory. We find that the Γ interaction substantially changes the field-angle dependence of the thermal Hall conductivity and suppresses its magnitude. The suppression is caused by the enhancement of the low-energy magnon gap while increasing the Γ interaction.

Engineering infinite-range SU(n) interactions with spin-orbit-coupled fermions in an optical lattice

We study multilevel fermions in an optical lattice described by the Hubbard model with on-site $\mathrm{SU}(n)$-symmetric interactions. We show that in an appropriate parameter regime this system can be mapped onto a spin model with all-to-all $\mathrm{SU}(n)$-symmetric couplings. Raman pulses that address internal spin states modify the atomic dispersion relation and induce spin-orbit coupling, which can act as a synthetic inhomogeneous magnetic field that competes with the $\mathrm{SU}(n)$ exchange interactions. We investigate the mean-field dynamical phase diagram of the resulting model as a function of $n$ and different initial configurations that are accessible with Raman pulses. Consistent with previous studies for $n=2$, we find that for some initial states the spin model exhibits two distinct dynamical phases that obey simple scaling relations with $n$. Moreover, for $n>2$ we find that dynamical behavior can be highly sensitive to initial intraspin coherences. Our predictions are readily testable in current experiments with ultracold alkaline-earth-metal(-like) atoms.

Competing U (1) and Z2 dipolar-octupolar quantum spin liquids on the pyrochlore lattice: Application to Ce2Zr2O7

Recent experiments on the dipolar-octupolar pyrochlore compound ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{Zr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ indicate that it may realize a three-dimensional quantum spin liquid (QSL). In particular, the analyses of available data suggest that the system is in a region of parameter space, where the so-called $\ensuremath{\pi}$-flux $U(1)$ octupolar quantum spin ice (QSI) with an emergent photon could be realized. However, because the system is far from the perturbative classical spin ice regime, it is unclear whether the quantum ground state is primarily a coherent superposition of 2-in-2-out configurations as in the canonical QSI phases. In this work, we explore other possible competing quantum spin-liquid states beyond QSI using the Schwinger boson parton construction of the dipolar-octupolar pseudospin-1/2 model. After classifying all symmetric $U(1)$ and ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ QSLs using the projective symmetry group (PSG), we construct a mean-field phase diagram that possesses a number of important features observed in an earlier exact diagonalization study. In the experimentally relevant frustrated region of the phase diagram, we find two closely competing gapped ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ QSLs with a narrow spinon dispersion. The equal-time and dynamical spin structure factors of these states show key features similar to what was reported in neutron scattering experiments. Hence, these QSLs are closely competing ground states in addition to the $\ensuremath{\pi}$-flux $U(1)$ QSI, and they should be taken into account on equal footing for the interpretation of experiments on ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{Zr}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$.

Exchange interaction between the high spin Co[formula omitted] states in LaCoO[formula omitted

The formation of the exchange interaction between HS Co3+ ions, which are excited in LaCoO3, is studied within the multielectron approach. Two main contributions appear to be antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM). When the ground state is LS, the total interaction is AFM. The crossover to the HS state may result in the FM ordering. The mean-field magnetic phase diagrams on the plane spin gap-temperature have been calculated without and with spin-orbital interaction in the HS term. Without spin-orbital interaction the reentrant magnetic order is possible. The spin-orbital coupling removes the reentrant phase transition and stabilizes the LS state. For known from experimental data values of the spin gap and exchange interaction, the ideal stoichiometric LaCoO3 is very close to the LS–HS crossover and magnetic ordering border. The violations of local coordination and symmetry of the Co3+-oxygen complexes that take place in the intergrain boundaries, at the surface of single crystals, and in the thin films on the strained substrate, may result in the formation of the HS state and FM order for such materials.

Stability of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states in anisotropic systems and critical behavior at thermal m -axial Lifshitz points

We revisit the question concerning the stability of nonuniform superfluid states of the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) type to thermal and quantum fluctuations. On general grounds, we argue that the mean-field phase diagram hosting a Lifshitz point cannot be stable to fluctuations for isotropic, continuum systems, at any temperature $T>0$ in any dimensionality $d<4$. In contrast, in layered unidirectional systems, the lower critical dimension for the onset of FFLO-type long-range order accompanied by a Lifshitz point at $T>0$ is $d=5/2$. In consequence, its occurrence is excluded in $d=2$, but not in $d=3$. We propose a relatively simple method, based on nonperturbative renormalization group, to compute the critical exponents of the thermal $m$-axial Lifshitz point continuously varying $m$, spatial dimensionality $d$, and the number of order parameter components, $N$. We point out the possibility of a robust, fine-tuning free occurrence of a quantum Lifshitz point in the phase diagram of imbalanced Fermi mixtures.

Gross-Neveu-Heisenberg criticality from competing nematic and antiferromagnetic orders in bilayer graphene

We study the phase diagram of an effective model of competing nematic and antiferromagnetic orders of interacting electrons on the Bernal-stacked honeycomb bilayer, as relevant for bilayer graphene. In the noninteracting limit, the model features a semimetallic ground state with quadratic band touching points at the Fermi level. Taking the effects of short-range interactions into account, we demonstrate the existence of an extended region in the mean-field phase diagram characterized by coexisting nematic and antiferromagnetic orders. By means of a renormalization group approach, we reveal that the quantum phase transition from nematic to coexistent nematic-antiferromagnetic orders is continuous and characterized by emergent Lorentz symmetry. It falls into the $(2+1)$-dimensional relativistic Gross-Neveu-Heisenberg quantum universality class, which has recently been much investigated in the context of interacting Dirac systems in two spatial dimensions. The coexistence-to-antiferromagnetic transition, by contrast, turns out to be weakly first order as a consequence of the absence of continuous spatial rotational symmetry on the honeycomb bilayer. Implications for experiments in bilayer graphene are discussed.

Light-Induced Ultrafast Dynamics of Spin Crossovers under High Pressure

Within the multielectron model of magnetic insulator with two different spin terms at each cation and spin crossover under high pressure we have studied dynamics of a sudden excited non equilibrium spin state. We obtain the different relaxation of the magnetization, high spin/low spin occupation numbers, and the metal-oxygen bond length for different values of the external pressure. For each pressure-temperature values stationary state agrees to the mean field phase diagrams. We found the long living oscillations of magnetization for the high spin ground state at small pressure. Close to crossover pressure the smooth relaxation is accompanied with a set of sharp strongly non linear oscillations of magnetization and HS/LS occupation numbers that are accompanied by the Franck–Condon resonances.

Simplicity in mean-field phase behavior of two-component miktoarm star copolymers.

Using self-consistent field theory, we systematically explore the microphase separation in the class of two-component miktoarm star copolymers containing a single conjunction point between different blocks by considering an extended list of candidate microphases. We plot mean-field phase diagrams in the plane of segregation strength and composition for an array of representative star copolymers. Three principal phase diagram topologies, dictated by different phase stabilities, are exposed, displaying a hierarchy in complexity by increasing the molecular asymmetry. Our investigation indicates that the phase diagram topology depends on the ratios of arm numbers and Kuhn segment lengths, which highlights the role of the coordination number ratio between different polymers at the domain interface. These findings reveal the simplicity of the general phase behavior and suggest a complete list of stable microphases for the entire class, which provide useful insight into studying copolymers with more complicated architectures and conformational properties.

Mean-field study of the Bose-Hubbard model in the Penrose lattice

We examine the Bose-Hubbard model in the Penrose lattice based on inhomogeneous mean-field theory. Since averaged coordination number in the Penrose lattice is four, mean-field phase diagram consisting of the Mott insulator (MI) and superfluid (SF) phase is similar to that of the square lattice. However, the spatial distribution of Bose condensate in the SF phase is significantly different from uniform distribution in the square lattice. We find a fractal structure in its distribution near the MI-SF phase boundary. The emergence of the fractal structure is a consequence of cooperative effect between quasiperiodicity in the Penrose lattice and criticality at the phase transition.

Electron quasi-itinerancy intertwined with quantum order by disorder in pyrochlore iridate magnetism

We point out the emergence of magnetism from the interplay of electron quasi-itinerancy and quantum order by disorder in pyrochlore iridates. Like other Mott insulating iridates, the Ir$^{4+}$ ion in pyrochlore iridates develops an effective ${J=1/2}$ moment from the on-site spin-orbit coupling. We consider the generic symmetry-allowed exchange between these local moments on a pyrochlore lattice and obtain the mean-field phase diagram. Assuming the superexchange is mediated by direct and/or indirect electron hopping via intermediate oxygens, we derive the exchange interactions in the strong coupling regime from the Hubbard model. This exchange has a degenerate classical ground state manifold and quantum fluctuation selects a non-coplanar ground state, known as quantum order by disorder. Extending to the intermediate coupling regime, the same non-coplanar order is selected from the degenerate manifold by the kinetic energy, which is dubbed "electron quasi-itinerancy". We discuss the experimental relevance of our results and electron quasi-itinerancy among other iridates and $4d/5d$ magnets.

Intertwined order in fractional Chern insulators from finite-momentum pairing of composite fermions

We investigate the problem of intertwined orders in fractional Chern insulators by considering lattice fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states arising from pairing of composite fermions in the square-lattice Hofstadter model. At certain filling fractions, magnetic translation symmetry ensures the composite fermions form Fermi surfaces with multiple pockets, leading to the formation of finite-momentum Cooper pairs in the presence of attractive interactions. We obtain mean-field phase diagrams exhibiting a rich array of striped and topological phases, establishing paired lattice FQH states as an ideal platform to investigate the intertwining of topological and conventional broken symmetry order.

Mean-field phase diagram and spin-glass phase of the dipolar kagome Ising antiferromagnet

We derive the equilibrium phase diagram of the classical dipolar Ising antiferromagnet at the mean-field level on a geometry that mimics the two dimensional Kagome lattice. Our mean-field treatment is based on the combination of the cluster variational Bethe-Peierls formalism and the cavity method, developed in the context of the glass transition, and is complementary to the Monte Carlo simulations realized in [Phys. Rev. B 98, 144439 (2018)]. Our results confirm the nature of the low temperature crystalline phase which is reached through a weakly first-order phase transition. Moreover, they allow us to interpret the dynamical slowing down observed in the work of Hamp & al. as a remnant of a spin glass transition taking place at the mean-field level (and expected to be avoided in 2 dimensions).

Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces stabilized by spin-orbit coupling

It was recently understood that centrosymmetric multiband superconductors that break time-reversal symmetry generically show Fermi surfaces of Bogoliubov quasiparticles. We investigate the thermodynamic stability of these Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces in a paradigmatic model. To that end, we construct the mean-field phase diagram as a function of spin-orbit coupling and temperature. It confirms the prediction that a pairing state with Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces can be stabilized at moderate spin-orbit coupling strengths. The multiband nature of the model also gives rise to a first-order phase transition, which can be explained by the competition of intra- and interband pairing and is strongly affected by cubic anisotropy. For the state with Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces, we also discuss experimental signatures in terms of the residual density of states and the induced magnetic order. Our results show that Bogoliubov Fermi surfaces of experimentally relevant size can be thermodynamically stable.

Two-photon Rabi-Hubbard and Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard models: Photon-pair superradiance, Mott insulator, and normal phases

We study the ground state phase diagrams of two-photon Dicke, the one-dimensional Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard (JCH), and Rabi-Hubbard (RH) models using mean field, perturbation, quantum Monte Carlo (QMC), and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) methods. We first compare mean field predictions for the phase diagram of the Dicke model with exact QMC results and find excellent agreement. The phase diagram of the JCH model is then shown to exhibit a single Mott insulator lobe with two excitons per site, a superfluid (SF, superradiant) phase and a large region of instability where the Hamiltonian becomes unbounded. Unlike the one-photon model, there are no higher Mott lobes. Also unlike the one-photon case, the SF phases above and below the Mott are surprisingly different: Below the Mott, the SF is that of photon {\it pairs} as opposed to above the Mott where it is SF of simple photons. The mean field phase diagram of the RH model predicts a transition from a normal to a superradiant phase but none is found with QMC.

Static nonlinear Schrödinger equations for the achiral-chiral transitions of polar chiral molecules

In the mean-field theory, the stabilization of polar chiral molecules is understood as a quantum phase transition where the mean-field ground state of molecules changes from the achiral eigenstate of the molecular Hamiltonian to one of the degenerated chiral states as the increase of the intermolecular interaction. Starting from the many-body Hamiltonian of the molecular gases with electric dipole-dipole interactions, we give the static non-linear Schr\"{o}dinger equations without free parameters to explore the achiral-chiral transitions of polar chiral molecules. We find that the polar chiral molecules of different species can be classified into two categories: At the critical point for the achiral-chiral transition, the mean-field ground state changes continuously in one category, and changes discontinuously in the other category. We further give the mean-field phase diagram of the achiral-chiral transitions for both two categories.

Formation of localized magnetic states in a large-spin Fermi system

We extend the Anderson impurity model to a large-spin Fermi system with spin $f$=3/2, stimulated by the realization of large-spin ultracold Fermi atoms. The condition required for the spontaneous formation of local magnetic moments is examined and the ground state mean-field magnetic phase diagram is explored carefully. We find that the spin-3/2 Fermi system involves magnetic phase regions I, II, and III that correspond to one, two, and three particle/hole occupation, respectively. In addition, it is observed that all the three magnetic phases have four-fold degenerate ground states. Finally, the phase transition between the three phases seems to be of the first-order.

Mean-field phase diagram of the extended Bose-Hubbard model of many-body cavity quantum electrodynamics

We investigate the mean-field phase diagram of the Bose-Hubbard model with infinite-range interactions in two dimensions. This model describes ultracold bosonic atoms confined by a two-dimensional optical lattice and dispersively coupled to a cavity mode with the same wavelength as the lattice. We determine the ground-state phase diagram for a grand-canonical ensemble by means of analytical and numerical methods. Our results mostly agree with the ones reported in Dogra et al. [PRA 94, 023632 (2016)], and have a remarkable qualitative agreement with the quantum Monte Carlo phase diagrams of Flottat et al. [PRB 95, 144501 (2017)]. The salient differences concern the stability of the supersolid phases, which we discuss in detail. Finally, we discuss differences and analogies between the ground state properties of strong long-range interacting bosons with the ones predicted for repulsively interacting dipolar bosons in two dimensions.