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arXiv · 2609.08467

Theory of Kondo hybridization wave in Kondo lattice

Abstract

Recent scanning tunneling microscopy experiments have discovered emergent spatially modulated Kondo hybridization wave (KHW) order in the heavy fermion superconductor UTe$_2$ and the artificial Kondo lattice system 1T/1H-TaS$_2$, challenging the conventional paradigm of spatially uniform Kondo hybridization in heavy fermion physics. Here, we develop a microscopic theory for KHW order based on the canonical square-lattice Kondo lattice model within the large-$N$ fermionic mean-field approximation. We systematically identify stable modulated KHW phases and establish their ground-state phase diagram. The prominent $\boldsymbol{Q}=(0,\pi)$ KHW phase yields uniaxial stripe modulation of the Kondo hybridization gap, which faithfully reproduces the spatial modulation pattern observed in UTe$_2$. Moreover, its inherent unit-cell-doubling modulation precisely accounts for the spectroscopic features measured in 1T/1H-TaS$_2$. We further predict a characteristic in-plane conductivity anisotropy that serves as a definitive transport fingerprint to discriminate KHW states with distinct ordering wavevectors. Our work provides a microscopic foundation for the newly observed KHW order and establishes a unified theoretical framework for understanding emergent modulated hybridization phenomena in heavy fermion materials.

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Yin Zhong. 2026-09-08. Theory of Kondo hybridization wave in Kondo lattice. https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.08467

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