arXiv subjects

Markus Aichhorn

Publications and source records attributed to Markus Aichhorn.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

$\textit{Ab initio}$ prediction of a two-dimensional variant of the iridate IrO$_2$

We propose an insulating 2D phase of IrO$_{2}$, predicted by $\textit{ab initio}$ evolutionary algorithms. The predicted phase is a van der Waals crystal, in which Ir forms a triangular lattice, and is energetically competitive with the metastable spinel phase, observed experimentally. Electronic structure calculations show that the magnetic properties of this phase are highly nontrivial, with an almost perfect degeneracy of 120$^{\circ}$ $\textit{Neel}$ and $Y$-stripe orders, and unusually soft magnetic moments. The resulting behavior, which we term $\textit{easy plane anisotropy}$, is entirely different from what is realized in previously-explored Kitaev honeycomb lattices. Our results thus suggest that IrO$_{2}$ may be an ideal candidate to realize highly unusual magnetic properties.

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arXiv2019

Time Dependent Variational Principle for Tree Tensor Networks

We present a generalization of the Time Dependent Variational Principle (TDVP) to any finite sized loop-free tensor network. The major advantage of TDVP is that it can be employed as long as a representation of the Hamiltonian in the same tensor network structure that encodes the state is available. Often, such a representation can be found also for long-range terms in the Hamiltonian. As an application we use TDVP for the Fork Tensor Product States tensor network for multi-orbital Anderson impurity models. We demonstrate that TDVP allows to account for off-diagonal hybridizations in the bath which are relevant when spin-orbit coupling effects are important, or when distortions of the crystal lattice are present.

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arXiv2019

Thermopower of the electron-doped manganese pnictide LaMnAsO

Upon chemical substitution of oxygen with fluor, LaMnAsO has been electron-doped in experiments, resulting in samples with remarkably high Seebeck coefficients of around -300$μVK^{-1}$ at room temperature and 3% doping. Within the framework of density functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory we are not only able to reproduce these experimental observations, but can also provide a thorough investigation of the underlying mechanisms. By considering electronic correlations in the half-filled Mn-3d shells, we trace the high Seebeck coefficient back to an asymmetry in the spectral function, which is due to emergence of incoherent spectral weight under doping and a strong renormalisation of the unoccupied states. This is only possible in correlated systems and cannot be explained by DFT-based band structure calculations.

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arXiv2019

Comparison of MPS based real time evolution algorithms for Anderson Impurity Models

We perform a detailed comparison of two Matrix Product States (MPS) based time evolution algorithms for Anderson Impurity Models. To describe the bath, we use both the star-geometry as well as the commonly employed Wilson chain geometry. For each bath geometry, we use either the Time Dependent Variational Principle (TDVP) or the Time Evolving Block Decimation (TEBD) to perform the time evolution. To apply TEBD for the star-geometry, we use a specially adapted algorithm that can deal with the long-range coupling terms. Analyzing the major sources of errors, one expects them to be proportional to the system size for all algorithms. Surprisingly, we find errors independent of system size except for TEBD in chain geometry. Additionally, we show that the right combination of bath representation and time evolution algorithm is important. While TDVP in chain geometry is a very precise approach, TEBD in star geometry is much faster, such that for a given accuracy it is superior to TDVP in chain geometry. This makes the adapted version of TEBD in star geometry the most efficient method to solve impurity problems.

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arXiv2019

Hall coefficient signals orbital differentiation in the Hund's metal Sr$_2$RuO$_4$

The Hall coefficient $R_H$ of Sr$_2$RuO$_4$ exhibits a non-monotonic temperature dependence with two sign reversals. We show that this puzzling behavior is the signature of two crossovers which are key to the physics of this material. The increase of $R_H$ and the first sign change upon cooling are associated with a crossover into a regime of coherent quasiparticles with strong orbital differentiation of the inelastic scattering rates. The eventual decrease and the second sign change at lower temperature is driven by the crossover from inelastic to impurity-dominated scattering. This qualitative picture is supported by quantitative calculations of $R_H(T)$ using Boltzmann transport theory in combination with dynamical mean-field theory, taking into account the effect of spin-orbit coupling. Our insights shed new light on the temperature dependence of the Hall coefficient in materials with strong orbital differentiation, as observed in Hund's metals.

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arXiv2018

Spin-orbit coupling and correlations in three-orbital systems

We investigate the influence of spin-orbit coupling $λ$ in strongly-correlated multiorbital systems that we describe by a three-orbital Hubbard-Kanamori model on a Bethe lattice. We solve the problem at all integer fillings $N$ with the dynamical mean-field theory using the continuous-time hybridization expansion Monte Carlo solver. We investigate how the quasiparticle renormalization $Z$ varies with the strength of spin-orbit coupling. The behavior can be understood for all fillings except $N=2$ in terms of the atomic Hamiltonian (the atomic charge gap) and the polarization in the $j$-basis due to spin-orbit induced changes of orbital degeneracies and the associated kinetic energy. At $N=2$, $λ$ increases $Z$ at small $U$ but suppresses it at large $U$, thus eliminating the characteristic Hund's metal tail in $Z(U)$. We also compare the effects of the spin-orbit coupling to the effects of a tetragonal crystal field. Although this crystal field also lifts the orbital degeneracy, its effects are different, which can be understood in terms of the different form of the interaction Hamiltonian expressed in the respective diagonal single-particle basis.

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arXiv2018

Charge self-consistent many-body corrections using optimized projected localized orbitals

In order for methods combining ab initio density-functional theory and many-body techniques to become routinely used, a flexible, fast, and easy-to-use implementation is crucial. We present an implementation of a general charge self-consistent scheme based on projected localized orbitals in the projector augmented wave framework in the Vienna Ab Initio Simulation Package (VASP). We give a detailed description on how the projectors are optimally chosen and how the total energy is calculated. We benchmark our implementation in combination with dynamical mean-field theory: first we study the charge-transfer insulator NiO using a Hartree-Fock approach to solve the many-body Hamiltonian. We address the advantages of the optimized against non-optimized projectors and furthermore find that charge self-consistency decreases the dependence of the spectral function - especially the gap - on the double counting. Second, using continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo we study a monolayer of SrVO$_3$, where strong orbital polarization occurs due to the reduced dimensionality. Using total-energy calculation for structure determination, we find that electronic correlations have a non-negligible influence on the position of the apical oxygens, and therefore on the thickness of the single SrVO$_3$ layer.

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arXiv2018

Dynamical Mean-Field Theory on the Real-Frequency Axis: p-d Hybridizations and Atomic Physics in SrMnO$_3$

We investigate the electronic structure of SrMnO$_3$ with Density Functional Theory (DFT) plus Dynamical Mean-Field Theory (DMFT). Within this scheme the selection of the correlated subspace and the construction of the corresponding Wannier functions is a crucial step. Due to the crystal field splitting of the Mn-$3d$ orbitals and their separation from the O-2$p$ bands, SrMnO$_3$ is a material where on first sight a 3-band $d$-only model should be sufficient. However, in the present work we demonstrate that the resulting spectrum is considerably influenced by the number of correlated orbitals and the number of bands included in the Wannier function construction. For example, in a $d$-$dp$ model we observe a splitting of the \tg lower Hubbard band into a more complex spectral structure, not observable in $d$-only models. To illustrate these high-frequency differences we employ the recently developed Fork Tensor Product State (FTPS) impurity solver, as it provides the necessary spectral resolution on the real-frequency axis. We find that the spectral structure of a 5-band $d$-$dp$ model is in good agreement with PES and XAS experiments. Our results demonstrate that the FTPS solver is capable of performing full 5-band DMFT calculations directly on the real-frequency axis.

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arXiv2017

Maximum entropy formalism for the analytic continuation of matrix-valued Green's functions

We present a generalization of the maximum entropy method to the analytic continuation of matrix-valued Green's functions. To treat off-diagonal elements correctly based on Bayesian probability theory, the entropy term has to be extended for spectral functions that are possibly negative in some frequency ranges. In that way, all matrix elements of the Green's function matrix can be analytically continued; we introduce a computationally cheap element-wise method for this purpose. However, this method cannot ensure important constraints on the mathematical properties of the resulting spectral functions, namely positive semidefiniteness and Hermiticity. To improve on this, we present a full matrix formalism, where all matrix elements are treated simultaneously. We show the capabilities of these methods using insulating and metallic dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) Green's functions as test cases. Finally, we apply the methods to realistic material calculations for LaTiO$_3$, where off-diagonal matrix elements in the Green's function appear due to the distorted crystal structure.

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arXiv2017

A real-frequency solver for the Anderson impurity model based on bath optimization and cluster perturbation theory

Recently solvers for the Anderson impurity model (AIM) working directly on the real-frequency axis have gained much interest. A simple and yet frequently used impurity solver is exact diagonalization (ED), which is based on a discretization of the AIM bath degrees of freedom. Usually, the bath parameters cannot be obtained directly on the real-frequency axis, but have to be determined by a fit procedure on the Matsubara axis. In this work we present an approach where the bath degrees of freedom are first discretized directly on the real-frequency axis using a large number of bath sites ($\approx 50$). Then, the bath is optimized by unitary transformations such that it separates into two parts that are weakly coupled. One part contains the impurity site and its interacting Green's functions can be determined with ED. The other (larger) part is a non-interacting system containing all the remaining bath sites. Finally, the Green's function of the full AIM is calculated via coupling these two parts with cluster perturbation theory.

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arXiv2017

Fork Tensor Product States - Efficient Three Orbital Real Time DMFT Solver

We present a tensor network especially suited for multi-orbital Anderson impurity models and as an impurity solver for multi-orbital dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). The solver works directly on the real-frequency axis and yields very high spectral resolution at all frequencies. We use a large number $\left(\mathcal{O}(100)\right)$ of bath sites, and therefore achieve an accurate representation of the bath. The solver can treat full rotationally invariant interactions with reasonable numerical effort. We show the efficiency and accuracy of the method by a benchmark for the testbed material SrVO$_3$. There we observe multiplet structures in the high-energy spectrum which are almost impossible to resolve by other multi-orbital methods. The resulting structure of the Hubbard bands can be described as a broadened atomic spectrum with rescaled interaction parameters. Additional features emerge when $U$ is increased. The impurity solver offers a new route to the calculation of precise real-frequency spectral functions of correlated materials.

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arXiv2016

Coulomb Correlations in 4d and 5d Oxides from First Principles - or How Spin-Orbit Materials choose their Effective Orbital Degeneracies

The interplay of spin-orbit interactions and Coulomb correlations has become a hot topic in condensed matter theory. Here, we review recent advances in dynamical mean-field theory-based electronic structure calculations for iridates and rhodates. We stress the notion of the effective degeneracy of the compounds, which introduces an additional axis into the conventional picture of a phase diagram based on filling and on the ratio of interactions to bandwidth.

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arXiv2016

Topological insulator on honeycomb lattices and ribbons without inversion symmetry

We study the Kane-Mele-Hubbard model with an additional inversion-symmetry-breaking term. Using the topological Hamiltonian approach, we calculate the $\mathbb{Z}_2$ invariant of the system as function of spin-orbit coupling, Hubbard interaction $U$, and inversion-symmetry-breaking on-site potential. The phase diagram calculated in that way shows that, on the one hand, a large term of the latter kind destroys the topological non-trivial state. On the other hand, however, this inversion-symmetry-breaking field can enhance the topological state, since for moderate values the transition from the non-trivial topological to the trivial Mott insulator is pushed to larger values of interaction $U$. This feature of an enhanced topological state is also found on honeycomb ribbons. With inversion symmetry, the edge of the zigzag ribbon is magnetic for any value of $U$. This magnetic moment destroys the gapless edge mode. Lifting inversion symmetry allows for a finite region in interaction strength $U$ below which gapless edge modes exist.

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arXiv2016

Importance of effective dimensionality in manganese pnictides

In this paper we investigate the two manganese pnictides BaMn$_2$As$_2$ and LaMnAsO, using fully charge self-consistent density functional plus dynamical mean-field theory calculations. These systems have a nominally half-filled d shell, and as a consequence, electronic correlations are strong, placing these compounds at the verge of a metal-insulator transition. Although their crystal structure is composed of similar building blocks, our analysis shows that the two materials exhibit a very different effective dimensionality, LaMnAsO being a quasi-two-dimensional material in contrast to the much more three-dimensional BaMn$_2$As$_2$. We demonstrate that the experimentally observed differences in the Néel temperature, the band gap, and the optical properties of the manganese compounds under consideration can be traced back to exactly this effective dimensionality. Our calculations show excellent agreement with measured optical spectra.

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arXiv2016

Charge self-consistency in density functional theory + dynamical mean field theory: k-space reoccupation and orbital order

We study effects of charge self-consistency within the combination of density functional theory (DFT; Wien2k) with dynamical mean field theory (DMFT; w2dynamics) in a basis of maximally localized Wannier orbitals. Using the example of two cuprates, we demonstrate that even if there is only a single Wannier orbital with fixed filling, a noteworthy charge redistribution can occur. This effect stems from a reoccupation of the Wannier orbital in k-space when going from the single, metallic DFT band to the split, insulating Hubbard bands of DMFT. We analyze another charge self-consistency effect beyond moving charge from one site to another: the correlation-enhanced orbital polarization in a freestanding layer of SrVO3.

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arXiv2016

TRIQS/DFTTools: A TRIQS application for ab initio calculations of correlated materials

We present the TRIQS/DFTTools package, an application based on the TRIQS library that connects this toolbox to realistic materials calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). In particular, TRIQS/DFTTools together with TRIQS allows an efficient implementation of DFT plus dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) calculations. It supplies tools and methods to construct Wannier functions and to perform the DMFT self-consistency cycle in this basis set. Post-processing tools, such as band-structure plotting or the calculation of transport properties are also implemented. The package comes with a fully charge self-consistent interface to the Wien2k band structure code, as well as a generic interface that allows to use TRIQS/DFTTools together with a large variety of DFT codes. It is distributed under the GNU General Public License (GPLv3).

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arXiv2015

Efficient DMFT impurity solver using real-time dynamics with Matrix Product States

We propose to calculate spectral functions of quantum impurity models using the Time Evolving Block Decimation (TEBD) for Matrix Product States. The resolution of the spectral function is improved by a so-called linear prediction approach. We apply the method as an impurity solver within the Dynamical Mean Field Theory (DMFT) for the single- and two-band Hubbard model on the Bethe lattice. For the single-band model we observe sharp features at the inner edges of the Hubbard bands. A finite size scaling shows that they remain present in the thermodynamic limit. We analyze the real time-dependence of the double occupation after adding a single electron and observe oscillations at the same energy as the sharp feature in the Hubbard band, indicating a long-lived coherent superposition of states that correspond to the Kondo peak and the side peaks. For a two-band Hubbard model we observe an even richer structure in the Hubbard bands, which cannot be related to a multiplet structure of the impurity, in addition to sharp excitations at the band edges of a type similar to the single-band case.

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arXiv2015

Current characteristics of a one-dimensional Hubbard chain: The role of correlation and dissipation

We study the electronic transport in an infinite one-dimensional Hubbard chain, driven by a homogeneous electric field. The physical chain is coupled to fermion bath chains, in order to account for dissipation and to prevent the occurrence of Bloch Oscillations. The steady state current is computed in the frame of Keldysh Green's functions in Cluster Perturbation Theory. The current characteristics are dominated by resonant-tunneling-like structures, which can be traced back to Wannier-Stark resonances due to anti-ferromagnetic correlations. The same current characteristic occurs in a non-interacting Wannier-Stark model with alternating on-site energies. Non-local effects of the self energy can be accounted for the observed physical behaviour.

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