arXiv subjects

Ian Affleck

Publications and source records attributed to Ian Affleck.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

arXiv1998

Boundary Critical Phenomena in the Three-State Potts Model

Boundary critical phenomena are studied in the 3- State Potts model in 2 dimensions using conformal field theory, duality and renormalization group methods. A presumably complete set of boundary conditions is obtained using both fusion and orbifold methods. Besides the previously known free, fixed and mixed boundary conditions a new one is obtained. This illustrates the necessity of considering fusion with operators that don't occur in the bulk spectrum, to obtain all boundary conditions. It is shown that this new boundary condition is dual to the mixed ones. The phase diagram for the quantum chain version of the Potts model is analyzed using duality and renormalization group arguments.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1998

Exact Correlation Amplitude for the S=1/2 Heisenberg Antiferromagnetic Chain

The exact amplitude for the asymptotic correlation function in the S=1/2 Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain is determined: goes to (-1)^r delta^{ab}(ln r)^{1/2}/[(2 pi)^{3/2}r]. The behaviour of the correlation functions for small xxz anisotropy and the form of finite-size corrections to the correlation function are also analysed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Edge Magnetic Field in the xxz Spin-1/2 Chain

The critical behavior associated with a transverse magnetic field applied at the edge of a semi-infinite xxz S=1/2 chain is calculated using field theory techniques. Contrary to a recent claim, we find that the long-time behavior is given by a renormalization group fixed point corresponding to an infinite field which polarizes the spin at the edge. The zero temperature entropy and position-dependent magnetization are calculated.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

The Screening Cloud in the k-Channel Kondo Model: Perturbative and Large-k Results

We demonstrate the existence of a large Kondo screening cloud in the k-channel Kondo model using both renormalization group improved perturbation theory and the large-k limit. We study position (r) dependent spin Green's functions in both static and equal time cases. The equal-time Green's function provides a natural definition of the screening cloud profile, in which the large Kondo scale appears. At large distances it consists of both a slowly varying piece and a piece which oscillates at twice the Fermi wave-vector. This function is calculated at all r in the large-k limit. Static Green's functions (Knight shift or susceptibility) consist only of a term oscillating at 2kF, and appear to factorize into a function of r times a function of T for rT << vF, in agreement with NMR experiments. Most of the integrated susceptibility comes from the impurity-impurity part with conduction electron contributions suppressed by powers of the bare Kondo coupling. The single-channel and overscreened multi-channel cases are rather similar although anomalous power-laws occur in the latter case at large r and low T due to irrelevant operator corrections.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Impurity in a Luttinger liquid away from half-filling: a numerical study

Conformal field theory gives quite detailed predictions for the low energy spectrum and scaling exponents of a massless Luttinger liquid at generic filling in the presence of an impurity. While these predictions were verified for half-filled systems, there was till now no analysis away from this particular filling. Here, we fill in this gap by numerically investigating a quarter-filled system using the density matrix renormalization group technique. Our results confirm conformal field theory predictions, and suggest that they are indeed valid for arbitrary fillings.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Theory of equilibrium flux lattices in unconventional superconductors

We investigate equilibrium flux lattice structures in superconductors with unconventional order parameters, such as high-$T_c$ cuprates, using a generalized London model with non-local electrodynamics derived from a simple microscopic model. We find a rich phase diagram containing triangular, centered rectangular and square lattices with various orientations to the ionic lattice, as a function of magnetic field and temperature.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1997

Theory of the field-induced gap in $S=1/2$ antiferromagnetic chains

In a recent neutron-scattering experiment on the quasi-one-dimensional $S=1/2$ antiferromagnet Cu Benzoate, a gap was induced by an applied magnetic field. We argue that the primary mechanism of the gap formation is an effective staggered field due to both the alternating $g$-tensor and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. We explain the dependence of the gap on the applied field, as well as identify several peaks in the structure factor $S(q,ω)$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Soliton Confinement and the Excitation Spectrum of Spin-Peierls Antiferromagnets

The excitation spectrum of spin-Peierls antiferromagnets is discussed taking into acount phonon dynamics but treating inter-chain elastic couplings in mean field theory. This gives a ladder of soliton -anti-soliton boundstates, with no soliton continuum, until soliton deconfinement takes place at a transition into a non-dimerized phase.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1997

Fermi Edge Singularities: Boundstates and Finite Size Effects

Fermi edge adsorption singularities (FES) are studied using a combination of conformal field theory (CFT), an exact sum rule and numerical work on a tight binding model which is shown to exhibit remarkable simplifying features. The relationship between FES and Anderson orthogonality exponent is established in great generality, using CFT, including the case where the core hole potential produces a boundstate. Universal results on the adsorption intensity in a finite sized sample are obtained. Various predictions are checked numerically and the evolution of the adsorption intensity with electron density is studied.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1997

Spin Gap in a Doped Kondo Chain

We show that the Kondo chain away from half-filling has a spin gap upon the introduction of an additional direct Heisenberg coupling between localized spins. This is understood in the weak-Kondo-coupling limit of the Heisenberg-Kondo lattice model by bosonization and in the strong-coupling limit by a mapping to a modified t-J model. Only for certain ranges of filling and Heisenberg coupling does the spin gap phase extend from weak to strong coupling.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Boundary conformal field theory approach to the two-dimensional critical Ising model with a defect line

We study the critical two-dimensional Ising model with a defect line (altered bond strength along a line) in the continuum limit. By folding the system at the defect line, the problem is mapped to a special case of the critical Ashkin-Teller model, the continuum limit of which is the $Z_2$ orbifold of the free boson, with a boundary. Possible boundary states on the $Z_2$ orbifold theory are explored, and a special case is applied to the Ising defect problem. We find the complete spectrum of boundary operators, exact two-point correlation functions and the universal term in the free energy of the defect line for arbitrary strength of the defect. We also find a new universality class of defect lines. It is conjectured that we have found all the possible universality classes of defect lines in the Ising model. Relative stabilities among the defect universality classes are discussed.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv1997

Non-perturbative approach to Luttinger's theorem in one dimension

The Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem for spin chains is generalized to a wide range of models of interacting electrons and localized spins in one-dimensional lattice. The existence of a low-energy state is generally proved except for special commensurate fillings where a gap may occur. Moreover, the crystal momentum of the constructed low-energy state is $2k_F$, where $k_F$ is the Fermi momentum of the non-interacting model, corresponding to Luttinger's theorem. For the Kondo lattice model, our result implies that $k_F$ must be calculated by regarding the localized spins as additional electrons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Magnetization plateaus in spin chains: ``Haldane gap'' for half-integer spins

We discuss zero-temperature quantum spin chains in a uniform magnetic field, with axial symmetry. For integer or half-integer spin, $S$, the magnetization curve can have plateaus and we argue that the magnetization per site $m$ is topologically quantized as $q (S - m)= integer$ at the plateaus, where $q$ is the period of the groundstate. We also discuss conditions for the presence of the plateau at those quantized values. For $S=3/2$ and $m=1/2$, we study several models and find two distinct types of massive phases at the plateau. One of them is argued to be a ``Haldane gap phase'' for half-integer $S$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1996

Boundary Condition Changing Operators in Conformal Field Theory and Condensed Matter Physics

Boundary condition changing operators in conformal field theory describe various types of "sudden switching" problems in condensed matter physics such as the X-ray edge singularity. We review this subject and give two extensions of previous work. A general derivation of a connection between the X-ray edge singularity, the Anderson orthogonality catastrophe and finite-size scaling of energies is given. The formalism is also extended to include boundstates.

hep-th↗

arXiv1996

Generalized London free energy for high-$T_c$ vortex lattices

We generalize the London free energy to include four-fold anisotropies which could arise from d-wave pairing or other sources in a tetragonal material. We use this simple model to study vortex lattice structure and discuss neutron scattering, STM, Bitter decoration and $μ$SR experiments.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv1996

Defect Lines in the Ising Model and Boundary States on Orbifolds

Critical phenomena in the two-dimensional Ising model with a defect line are studied using boundary conformal field theory on the $c=1$ orbifold. Novel features of the boundary states arising from the orbifold structure, including continuously varying boundary critical exponents, are elucidated. New features of the Ising defect problem are obtained including a novel universality class of defect lines and the universal boundary to bulk crossover of the spin correlation function.

hep-th↗

arXiv1996

The Kondo screening cloud: what can we learn from perturbation theory?

We analyse the role which the distance scale $ξ_K = v_F/T_K$ plays in the single-impurity Kondo problem using renormalization group improved perturbation theory. We derive the scaling functions for the local spin susceptibility in various limiting cases. In particular, we demonstrate exactly that the non-oscillating part of it should be short-range, i.e., vanish for distances $r \gg 1/k_F$ and show explicitly that the interior of the screening cloud {\it does not} exhibit weak coupling behavior.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

Dimerization and Incommensurate Spiral Spin Correlations in the Zigzag Spin Chain: Analogies to the Kondo Lattice

Using the density matrix renormalization group and a bosonization approach, we study a spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with near-neighbor coupling $J_1$ and frustrating second-neighbor coupling $J_2$, particularly in the limit $J_2 >> J_1$. This system exhibits both dimerization and incommensurate spiral spin correlations. We argue that this system is closely related to a doped, spin-gapped phase of the one-dimensional Kondo lattice.

cond-mat↗