arXiv subjects

J. Ranninger

Publications and source records attributed to J. Ranninger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2010

Boson-Fermion Duality and Metastability in Cuprate Superconductors

The intrinsic structural metastability in cuprate high T$_c$ materials, evidenced in a checker-board domain structure of the CuO$_2$ planes, locally breaks translational and rotational symmetry. Dynamical charge - deformation fluctuations of such nano-size unidirectional domains, involving Cu-O-Cu molecular bonds, result in resonantly fluctuating diamagnetic pairs embedded in a correlated Fermi liquid. As a consequence, the single-particle spectral properties acquire simultaneously (i) fermionic low energy Bogoliubov branches for propagating Cooper pairs and (ii) bosonic localized glassy structures for tightly bound states of them at high energies. The partial localization of the single-particle excitations results in a fractionation of the Fermi surface as the strength of the exchange coupling between itinerant fermions and partially localized fermion pairs increases upon moving from the nodal to the anti-nodal point. This is also the reason why, upon hole doping, bound fermion pairs predominantly accumulate near the anti-nodal points and ultimately condense in an anisotropic fashion, tracking the gap in the single particle spectrum.

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arXiv2009

Localization-delocalization dichotomy: Inherent spectral properties of the cuprates

We consider hole pairing in the pseudopgap phase of High T_c cuprates, as arising from resonant scattering on dynamically deformable molecular units. As a result, localized and delocalized features coexist in the one-particle spectra: the pseudogap and propagating diffusive Bogoliubov modes. Due to the anisotropy of the electron dispersion and pairing interaction, these two manifestations have different impact in the different regions of the Brillouin zone. We illustrate that for k-vectors crossing the arc, determined by the chemical potential, joining the anti-nodal and the nodal point.

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arXiv2008

Comment on `Evidence for pairing above Tc from the dispersion in the pseudogap phase of cuprates' by A. Kanigel et al

In a recent preprint [0803.3052] A. Kanigel et al report evidence for Bogoliubov-type excitations in the pseudogap phase in the anti-nodal region, where a robust pseudogap remains well above Tc. This important experimental result has been theoretically predicted by us almost 6 years ago on a basis of the phenomenological boson fermion model. An earlier theoretical prediction on the basis of this model was that of a pseudogap in the electron DOS, setting in at some temperature T* and evolving into the superconducting gap upon approaching Tc. A natural logical pursuit of this early work was to show that, in order to have a superconducting state evolved out of a pseudogap state, the diamagnetic bosonic pair fluctuations (characterizing the pseudogap phase) have to be propagating modes, which are phase correlated over finite distances above Tc. If so, then the pseudogap feature has to be reflected in characteristic features of the single particle excitations, showing remnants of the Bogoliubov modes inherent in the superconducting phase. Such Bogoliubov modes result from dynamical feedback effects between single electron excitations and dynamical local pairing fluctuations. We briefly recollect here our theoretical results and confront them with the recent experimental findings.

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arXiv2007

First Order Superfluid to Bose Metal Transition in Systems with Resonant Pairing

Systems showing resonant superfluidity, driven by an exchange coupling of strength $g$ between uncorrelated pairs of itinerant fermions and tightly bound ones, undergo a first order phase transition as $g$ increases beyond some critical value $g_c$. The superfluid phase for $g \leq g_c$ is characterized by a gap in the fermionic single particle spectrum and an acoustic sound-wave like collective mode of the bosonic resonating fermion pairs inside this gap. For $g>g_c$ this state gives way to a phase uncorrelated bosonic liquid with a $q^2$ spectrum.

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arXiv2006

Resonating bipolarons

Electrons coupled to local lattice deformations end up in selftrapped localized molecular states involving their binding into bipolarons when the coupling is stronger than a certain critical value. Below that value they exist as essentially itinerant electrons. We propose that the abrupt crossover between the two regimes can be described by resonant pairing similar to the Feshbach resonance in binary atomic collision processes. Given the intrinsically local nature of the exchange of pairs of itinerant electrons and localized bipolarons, we demonstrate the occurrence of such a resonance on a finite-size cluster made out of metallic atoms surrounding a polaronic ligand center.

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arXiv2004

Remnant superfluid collective phase oscillations in the normal state of systems with resonant pairing

The signature of superfluidity in bosonic systems is a sound wave-like spectrum of the single particle excitations which in the case of strong interactions is roughly temperature independent. In fermionic systems, where fermion pairing arises as a resonance phenomenon between free fermions and paired fermionic states (examples are: the atomic gases of lithium or potassium controlled by a Feshbach resonance, polaronic systems in the intermediary coupling regime, d-wave hole pairing in the strongly correlated Hubbard system), remnants of such superfluid characteristics are expected to be visible in the normal state. The single particle excitations maintain there a sound wave like structure for wave vectors above a certain q_{min}(T) where they practically coincide there with the spectrum of the superfluid phase for T<T_{c}. Upon approaching the transition from above this region in q-space extends down to small momenta, except for a narrow region around q=0 where such modes change into damped free particle

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arXiv2004

Interplay between the single particle and collective features in the boson fermion model

We study the interplay between the single particle and fermion pair features in the boson fermion model, both above and below the transition temperature $T_{c}$, using the flow equation method. Upon lowering the temperature the single particle fermionic spectral function: (a) gradually develops a depletion of the low energy states (pseudogap) for $T^{*}>T>T_{c}$ and a true superconducting gap for $T<T_{c}$, (b) exhibits a considerable transfer of spectral weight between the incoherent background and the narrow coherent peak(s) signifying long-lived quasi-particle features. The cooperon spectral function consists of a delta function peak, centered at the renormalized boson energy $ω=\tilde{E}_{\bf q}$, and a surrounding incoherent background which is spread over a wide energy range. When the temperature approaches $T_{c}$ from above this peak for ${\bf q}={\bf 0}$ moves to $ω=0$, so that the static pair susceptibility diverges (Thouless criterion for the broken symmetry phase transition). Upon decreasing the temperature below $T_{c}$ the cooperon peak becomes the collective (Goldstone) mode $E_{\bf q} \propto |{\bf q}|$ in the small momentum region and simultaneously splits off from the incoherent background states which are expelled to the high energy sector $|ω| \geq 2 Δ_{sc}(T)$. We discuss the smooth evolution of these features upon approaching $T_{c}$ from above and consider its feedback on the single particle spectrum where a gradual formation of damped Bogoliubov modes (above $T_{c}$) is observed.

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arXiv2004

Superconductor-insulator transition driven by local dephasing

We consider a system where localized bound electron pairs form an array of "Andreev"-like scattering centers and are coupled to a fermionic subsystem of uncorrelated electrons. By means of a path-integral approach, which describes the bound electron pairs within a coherent pseudospin representation, we derive and analyze the effective action for the collective phase modes which arise from the coupling between the two subsystems once the fermionic degrees of freedom are integrated out. This effective action has features of a quantum phase model in the presence of a Berry phase term and exhibits a coupling to a field which describes at the same time the fluctuations of density of the bound pairs and those of the amplitude of the fermion pairs. Due to the competition between the local and the hopping induced non-local phase dynamics it is possible, by tuning the exchange coupling or the density of the bound pairs, to trigger a transition from a phase ordered superconducting to a phase disordered insulating state. We discuss the different mechanisms which control this occurrence and the eventual destruction of phase coherence both in the weak and strong coupling limit.

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arXiv2003

Bogoliubov shadow bands in the normal state of superconducting systems with strong pair fluctuations

On the basis of a scenario where electron pairing is induced by resonant two-particle scattering (the Boson Fermion model), we show how precursors of the superconducting state - in form of overdamped Bogoliubov modes - emerge in the normal state upon approaching the transition temperature from above. This result is obtained by a renormalization technique based on continuous unitary transformations (the flow equations), projecting out the coherent contributions in the electron spectral function from an incoherent background.

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arXiv2003

The boson-fermion model: An exact diagonalization study

The main features of a generic boson-fermion scenario for electron pairing in a many-body correlated fermionic system are: i) a cross-over from a poor metal to an insulator and finally a superconductor as the temperature decreases, ii) the build-up of a finite amplitude of local electron pairing below a certain temperature $T^*$, followed by the onset of long-range phase correlations among electron pairs below a second characteristic temperature $T_ϕ$, iii) the opening of a pseudogap in the DOS of the electrons below $T^*$, rendering these electrons poorer and poorer quasi-particles as the temperature decreases, with the electron transport becoming ensured by electron pairs rather than by individual electrons. A number of these features have been so far obtained on the basis of different many-body techniques, all of which have their built-in shortcomings in the intermediate coupling regime, which is of interest here. In order to substantiate these features, we investigate them on the basis of an exact diagonalization study on rings up to eight sites. Particular emphasis has been put on the possibility of having persistent currents in mesoscopic rings tracking the change-over from single- to two-particle transport as the temperature decreases and the superconducting state is approached.

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arXiv2002

From phase- to amplitude-fluctuation driven superconductivity in systems with precursor pairing

The change-over from phase- to amplitude-fluctuation driven superconductivity is examined for a composite system of free electrons (Fermions with concentration n_F) and localized electron-pairs (hard-core Bosons with concentration n_B) as a function of doping-changing n_B. The coupling together of these two subsystems via a charge exchange term induces electron pairing below a certain T^* (showing up in form of a pseudogap) and ultimately superconductivity in the Fermionic subsystem. T^* steadily decreases with decreasing n_B. Below T^* this electron pairing leads to electron-pair resonant states (Cooperons) with quasi-particle features which strongly depend on $n_B$. For high concentrations, (n_B \simeq 0.5), correlation effects between the hard-core Bosons lead to itinerant Cooperons having a heavy mass m_p, but are long-lived. Upon reducing n_B, the mass as well as the lifetime of those Cooperons is considerably reduced. For high values of n_B, a superconducting state sets in at a T_c, being controlled by the phase stiffness D_ϕ=\hbar^2 n_p/m_p of those Cooperons, where n_p denotes their density. Upon reducing n_B, the phase stiffness steadily increases, and eventually exceeds the pairing energy k_B T^*. The Cooperons loose their well defined itinerant quasi-particle features and superconductivity gets controlled by amplitude fluctuations. The resulting phase diagram with doping is reminiscent of that of the phase fluctuation scenario for high T_c superconductivity, except that in our scenario the determinant factors are the mass and the lifetime of the Cooperons rather than their density.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2002

Thermodynamics and tunneling spectroscopy in the pseudogap regime of the boson fermion model

Motivated by the STM experimental data on Bi_2 Sr_2 CaCU_2 O_{8+x} which indicate the tunneling conductance asymmetry sigma(-V) not equal sigma(V), we report that such a behavior can be explained in terms of the boson fermion model. It has been shown in the recent studies, based on various selfconsistent techniques to capture the many-body effects, that the low energy spectrum of the boson fermion model is featured by an appearance of the pseudogap at T^* > T_c. We argue that the pseudogap structure has to exhibit a particle-hole asymmetry. This asymmetry may eventually depend on the boson concentration.

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arXiv2002

From local to macroscopic coherence in systems with composite quasi-particles

Strongly interacting systems are characterized by heavily dressed entities with internal degrees of freedom, which, on a local level, can be described in terms of coherent quantum states. We examine the modification of these local coherent quantum states when such entities condense into a macroscopic coherent quantum state, such as superfluidity. As an example, we consider a system of electrons coupled to local lattice deformations. Significant changes in the phonon clouds surrounding the charge carriers occur when the system develops into a spatially phase-locked state. The question of localized self-trapped charge carriers (bipolarons) in the normal state becoming delocalized upon entering the superconducting phase is discussed in terms of squeezing of the local coherent phonon states. Suggestions for experimental verifications of these features associated with the lattice dynamics are made.

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arXiv2002

Renormalization group approach to the interacting boson fermion systems

We study a pseudogap region of the mixed boson fermion system using a recent formulation of the renormalization group technique through the set of infinitesimal unitary transformations. Renormalization of fermion energies gives rise to a depletion of the low energy states (pseudogap) for temperatures $T^{*}>T>T_{c}$ which foreshadows appearance of the pairwise correlations with their long range phase coherence being missed. With a help of the flow equations for boson and fermion operators we analyze spectral weights and finite life times of these quasiparticles caused by interactions.

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arXiv2001

Ground state properties and excitation spectra of non-Galilean invariant interacting Bose systems

We study the ground state properties and the excitation spectrum of bosons which, in addition to a short-range repulsive two body potential, interact through the exchange of some dispersionless bosonic modes. The latter induces a time dependent (retarded) boson-boson interaction which is attractive in the static limit. Moreover the coupling with dispersionless modes introduces a reference frame for the moving boson system and hence breaks the Galilean invariance of this system. The ground state of such a system is depleted {\it linearly} in the boson density due to the zero point fluctuations driven by the retarded part of the interaction. Both quasiparticle (microscopic) and compressional (macroscopic) sound velocities of the system are studied. The microscopic sound velocity is calculated up the second order in the effective two body interaction in a perturbative treatment, similar to that of Beliaev for the dilute weakly interacting Bose gas. The hydrodynamic equations are used to obtain the macroscopic sound velocity. We show that these velocities are identical within our perturbative approach. We present analytical results for them in terms of two dimensional parameters -- an effective interaction strength and an adiabaticity parameter -- which characterize the system. We find that due the presence of several competing effects, which determine the speed of the sound of the system, three qualitatively different regimes can be in principle realized in the parameter space and discuss them on physical grounds.

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arXiv2001

Superfluidity of bosons on a deformable lattice

We study the superfluid properties of a system of interacting bosons on a lattice which, moreover, are coupled to the vibrational modes of this lattice, treated here in terms of Einstein phonon model. The ground state corresponds to two correlated condensates: that of the bosons and that of the phonons. Two competing effects determine the common collective soundwave-like mode with sound velocity $v$, arising from gauge symmetry breaking: i) The sound velocity $v_0$ (corresponding to a weakly interacting Bose system on a rigid lattice) in the lowest order approximation is reduced due to reduction of the repulsive boson-boson interaction, arising from the attractive part of phonon mediated interaction in the static limit. ii) the second order correction to the sound velocity is enhanced as compared to the one of bosons on a rigid lattice when the the boson-phonon interaction is switched on due to the retarded nature of phonon mediated interaction. The overall effect is that the sound velocity is practically unaffected by the coupling with phonons, indicating the robustness of the superfluid state. The induction of a coherent state in the phonon system, driven by the condensation of the bosons could be of experimental significance, permitting spectroscopic detections of superfluid properties of the bosons. Our results are based on an extension of the Beliaev - Popov formalism for a weakly interacting Bose gas on a rigid lattice to that on a deformable lattice with which it interacts.

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arXiv2000

Non-linear feedback effects in coupled Boson-Fermion systems

We address ourselves to a class of systems composed of two coupled subsystems without any intra-subsystem interaction: itinerant Fermions and localized Bosons on a lattice. Switching on an interaction between the two subsystems leads to feedback effects which result in a rich dynamical structure in both of them. Such feedback features are studied on the basis of the flow equation technique - an infinite series of infinitesimal unitary transformations - which leads to a gradual elimination of the inter-subsystem interaction. As a result the two subsystems get decoupled but their renormalized kinetic energies become mutually dependent on each other. Choosing for the inter - subsystem interaction a charge exchange term (the Boson-Fermion model) the initially localized Bosons acquire itinerancy through their dependence on the renormalized Fermion dispersion. This latter evolves from a free particle dispersion into one showing a pseudogap structure near the chemical potential. Upon lowering the temperature both subsystems simultaneously enter a macroscopic coherent quantum state. The Bosons become superfluid, exhibiting a soundwave like dispersion while the Fermions develop a true gap in their dispersion. The essential physical features described by this technique are already contained in the renormalization of the kinetic terms in the respective Hamiltonians of the two subsystems. The extra interaction terms resulting in the process of iteration only strengthen this physics. We compare the results with previous calculations based on selfconsistent perturbative approaches.

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arXiv2000

On the pseudogap phase in high-T_c superconductors

We describe the approach of the superconducting state as a sequence of cross-over phenomena. As the temperature is decreased, uncorrelated pairing of the electrons leads to the opening of a pseudogap at T_F^*. Upon further lowering the temperature those electron pairs acquire well behaved itinerant features at T_B^*, leading to partial Meissner screening and Drude type behavior of the optical conductivity. Further decrease of the temperature leads to their condensation and superconductivity at T_c. The analysis is done on the basis of the Boson-Fermion model in the cross-over regime between 2D and 3D.

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