arXiv subjects

W. Nolting

Publications and source records attributed to W. Nolting.

86 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv1998

Dynamical mean-field study of the Mott transition in thin films

The correlation-driven transition from a paramagnetic metal to a paramagnetic Mott-Hubbard insulator is studied within the half-filled Hubbard model for a thin-film geometry. We consider simple-cubic films with different low-index surfaces and film thickness d ranging from d=1 (two-dimensional) up to d=8. Using the dynamical mean-field theory, the lattice (film) problem is self-consistently mapped onto a set of d single-impurity Anderson models which are indirectly coupled via the respective baths of conduction electrons. The impurity models are solved at zero temperature using the exact-diagonalization algorithm. We investigate the layer and thickness dependence of the electronic structure in the low-energy regime. Effects due to the finite film thickness are found to be the more pronounced the lower is the film-surface coordination number. For the comparatively open sc(111) geometry we find a strong layer dependence of the quasi-particle weight while it is much less pronounced for the sc(110) and the sc(100) film geometries. For a given geometry and thickness d there is a unique critical interaction strength Uc2(d) at which all effective masses diverge and there is a unique strength Uc1(d) where the insulating solution disappears. Uc2(d) and Uc1(d) gradually increase with increasing thickness eventually approaching their bulk values. A simple analytical argument explains the complete geometry and thickness dependence of Uc2. Uc1 is found to scale linearly with Uc2.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Effective mass at the surface of a Fermi liquid

Using the dynamical mean-field theory, we calculate the effective electron mass in the Hubbard model on a semi-infinite lattice. At the surface the effective mass is strongly enhanced. Near half-filling this gives rise to a correlation-driven one-electron surface mode.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Surface metal-insulator transition in the Hubbard model

The correlation-driven metal-insulator (Mott) transition at a solid surface is studied within the Hubbard model for a semi-infinite lattice by means of the dynamical mean-field theory. The transition takes place at a unique critical strength of the interaction. Depending on the surface geometry, the interaction strength and the wave vector, we find one-electron excitations in the coherent part of the surface-projected metallic spectrum which are confined to two dimensions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

The moment sum rule and its consequences for ferromagnetism in the Hubbard model

The sum rule for the moments of the spectral density is discussed for the single-band Hubbard model. It is shown that respecting the sum rule up to the order m=3 is conceptually important for a qualitatively correct description of the quasi-particle band structure in the strong-correlation regime. Different analytical approximations for the self-energy are analyzed with respect to their compatibility with the moment sum rule. To estimate the practical usefulness of the sum rule, correlation functions and dynamical quantities are determined. The results obtained within the various approximation schemes of different complexity are compared with each other and also with essentially exact results available for infinite-dimensional lattices. It turns out that the m=3 moment is rather unimportant for the paramagnetic phase on the hyper-cubic lattice. Contrary, it decisively influences the magnetic phase boundary as well as the critical temperature for the ferromagnetic phase on an fcc-type lattice.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Optimization of alloy-analogy-based approaches to the infinite-dimensional Hubbard model

An analytical expression for the self-energy of the infinite-dimensional Hubbard model is proposed that interpolates between different exactly solvable limits. We profit by the combination of two recent approaches that are based on the alloy-analogy (Hubbard-III) solution: The modified alloy-analogy (MAA) which focuses on the strong-coupling regime, and the Edwards-Hertz approach (EHA) which correctly recovers the weak-coupling regime. Investigating the high-energy expansion of the EHA self-energy, it turns out that the EHA reproduces the first three exactly known moments of the spectral density only. This may be insufficient for the investigation of spontaneous magnetism. The analysis of the high-energy behavior of the CPA self-consistency equation allows for a new interpretation of the MAA: The MAA is the only (two-component) alloy-analogy that correctly takes into account the first four moments of the spectral density. For small U, however, the MAA does not reproduce Fermi-liquid properties. The defects of the MAA as well as of the EHA are avoided in the new approach. We discuss the prospects of the theory and present numerical results in comparison with essentially exact quantum Monte Carlo data. The correct high-energy behavior of the self-energy is proved to be a decisive ingredient for a reliable description of spontaneous magnetism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Ferromagnetism within the periodic Anderson model: A new approximation scheme

We introduce a new approach to the periodic Anderson model (PAM) that allows a detailed investigation of the magnetic properties in the Kondo as well as the intermediate valence regime. Our method is based on an exact mapping of the PAM onto an effective medium strong-coupling Hubbard model. For the latter, the so-called spectral density approach (SDA) is rather well motivated since it is based on exact results in the strong coupling limit. Besides the T=0 phase diagram, magnetization curves and Curie temperatures are presented and discussed with help of temperature-dependent quasiparticle densities of state. In the intermediate valence regime, the hybridization gap plays a major role in determining the magnetic behaviour. Furthermore, our results indicate that ferromagnetism in this parameter regime is not induced by an effective spin-spin interaction between the localized levels mediated by conduction electrons as it is the case in the Kondo regime. The magnetic ordering is rather a single band effect within an effective f-band.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Magnetism in the single-band Hubbard model

A self-consistent spectral density approach (SDA) is applied to the Hubbard model to investigate the possibility of spontaneous ferro- and antiferromagnetism. Starting point is a two-pole ansatz for the single-electron spectral density, the free parameter of which can be interpreted as energies and spectral weights of respective quasiparticle excitations. They are determined by fitting exactly calculated spectral moments. The resulting self-energy consists of a local and a non-local part. The higher correlation functions entering the spin-dependent local part can be expressed as functionals of the single-electron spectral density. Under certain conditions for the decisive model parameters (Coulomb interaction U, Bloch-bandwidth W, band occupation n, temperature T) the local part of the self-energy gives rise to a spin-dependent band shift, thus allowing for spontaneous band magnetism. As a function of temperature, second order phase transitions are found away from half filling, but close to half filling the system exhibits a tendency towards first order transitions. The non-local self-energy part is determined by use of proper two-particle spectral densities. Its main influence concerns a (possibly spin-dependent) narrowing of the quasiparticle bands with the tendency to stabilize magnetic solutions. The non-local self-energy part disappears in the limit of infinite dimensions. We present a full evaluation of the Hubbard model in terms of quasiparticle densities of states, quasiparticle dispersions, magnetic phase diagram, critical temperatures (Tc, Tn) as well as spin and particle correlation functions. Special attention is focused on the non-locality of the electronic self-energy, for which some rigorous limiting cases are worked out.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1998

Ferromagnetism and Temperature-Driven Reorientation Transition in Thin Itinerant-Electron Films

The temperature-driven reorientation transition which, up to now, has been studied by use of Heisenberg-type models only, is investigated within an itinerant-electron model. We consider the Hubbard model for a thin fcc(100) film together with the dipole interaction and a layer-dependent anisotropy field. The isotropic part of the model is treated by use of a generalization of the spectral-density approach to the film geometry. The magnetic properties of the film are investigated as a function of temperature and film thickness and are analyzed in detail with help of the spin- and layer-dependent quasiparticle density of states. By calculating the temperature dependence of the second-order anisotropy constants we find that both types of reorientation transitions, from out-of-plane to in-plane (``Fe-type'') and from in-plane to out-of-plane (``Ni-type'') magnetization are possible within our model. In the latter case the inclusion of a positive volume anisotropy is vital. The reorientation transition is mediated by a strong reduction of the surface magnetization with respect to the inner layers as a function of temperature and is found to depend significantly on the total band occupation.

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arXiv1998

On the origin of surface states in a correlated local-moment film

The electronic quasiparticle structure of a ferromagnetic local moment film is investigated within the framework of the s-f model. For the special case of a single electron in an otherwise empty energy band being exchange coupled to a fully ordered localised spin system the problem can be solved exactly and, for the spin-down electron, some marked correlation effects can be found. We extend our model to incorporate the influence of the surface on the electronic structure. Therefore we modify the hopping integrals in the vicinity of the surface. This leads to the existence of surface states, both for the spin-up and the spin-down spectral density of states. The interplay between the modification of the hopping integrals and the existence of surface states and correlation effects is discussed in detail.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Temperature-dependent electronic structure and ferromagnetism in the d=oo Hubbard model studied by a modfied perturbation theory

The infinite-dimensional Hubbard model is studied by means of a modified perturbation theory. The approach reduces to the iterative perturbation theory for weak coupling. It is exact in the atomic limit and correctly reproduces the dispersions and the weights of the Hubbard bands in the strong-coupling regime for arbitrary fillings. Results are presented for the hyper-cubic and an fcc-type lattice. For the latter we find ferromagnetic solutions. The filling-dependent Curie temperature is compared with the results of a recent Quantum Monte Carlo study.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Interpolating self-energy of the infinite-dimensional Hubbard model: Modifying the iterative perturbation theory

We develop an analytical expression for the self-energy of the infinite-dimensional Hubbard model that is correct in a number of different limits. The approach represents a generalization of the iterative perturbation theory to arbitrary fillings. In the weak-coupling regime perturbation theory to second order in the interaction U is recovered. The theory is exact in the atomic limit. The high-energy behavior of the self-energy up to order (1/E)**2 and thereby the first four moments of the spectral density are reproduced correctly. Referring to a standard strong-coupling moment method, we analyze the limit of strong U. Different modifications of the approach are discussed and tested by comparing with the results of an exact diagonalization study.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

One-step model of photoemission for non-local potentials

The one-step model of valence-band photoemission and inverse photoemission from single-crystal surfaces is reformulated for generalized (non-local, complex and energy-dependent) potentials. Thereby, it becomes possible to account for self-energy corrections taken from many-body electronic-structure calculations. The original formulation due to Pendry and co-workers employs the KKR multiple-scattering theory for the calculation of the initial state. This prevents a straightforward generalization of the one-step model to non-local potentials. We therefore consider the Dyson equation which is set up within a muffin-tin-orbitals representation as an alternative to obtain the initial-state Green function. This approach requires a revision of the transition-matrix elements which is carried out in detail. The final state is considered as a time-reversed LEED state as usual. The proposed generalization of the one-step model allows to distinguish between the bare photocurrent reflecting the (quasi-particle) band structure and the secondary effects due to the (dipole) selection rules and due to the wave-vector and energy dependence of the transition-matrix elements.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Weak-coupling approach to the semi-infinite Hubbard model: Non-locality of the self-energy

The Hubbard model on a semi-infinite three-dimensional lattice is considered to investigate electron-correlation effects at single-crystal surfaces. The standard second-order perturbation theory in the interaction U is used to calculate the electronic self-energy and the quasi-particle density of states (QDOS) in the bulk as well as in the vicinity of the surface. Within a real-space representation we fully account for the non-locality of the self-energy and examine the quality of the local approximation. Numerical results are presented and discussed for the three different low-index surfaces of the simple-cubic lattice. Compared with the bulk significant differences can be found for the top-layer local self-energy, the imaginary part of which is energetically narrowed and has a reduced total weight. The non-local parts of the self-energy Sigma(ij)(E) decrease with increasing distance between the sites i and j. At the surface and for the three-dimensional bulk their decrease is faster than for a two-dimensional lattice. For all surfaces considered the effects of the non-local parts of the self-energy on the QDOS are found to be qualitatively the same as for the bulk: The weight of the quasi-particle resonance at the Fermi energy is lowered while the high-energy charge-excitation peaks become more pronounced. The main structures in the layer-dependent spectra are already recovered within the local approximation; taking into account the nearest-neighbor non-local parts turns out to be an excellent approximation. Due to the reduced coordination number for sites at the very surface, the top-layer QDOS is narrowed. Contrary to the the free (U=0) system, quasi-particle damping results in a comparatively weak layer dependence of the QDOS generally.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv1997

Ferromagnetism in the Hubbard model: Influence of the lattice structure

By use of the spectral density approach the influence of the lattice structure on the possibility of ferromagnetism in the single band Hubbard model is investigated. The d=\infty hypercubic lattice does not show magnetic phase transitions of second order irrespective of the strength of the Coulomb coupling. However, first order transitions to finite magnetic moments, not visible as singularities of the paramagnetic susceptibility, may appear in the very strong coupling regime. In d=3 second order transitions are found but only for very strong couplings, where the non-locality of the electronic self-energy acts in favour of the spontaneous magnetic moment. The influence of the non-local part of the self-energy is particularly strong for lattices with small coordination number. The non-bipartite fcc lattice exhibits saturated ferromagnetism for all band occupations $1\le n\le 2$ while for less than half filled bands ($0\le n\le 1$) the system remains in any case paramagnetic, and that for d=3 as well as d=\infty. The Curie temperature runs through a maximum at about $n=1.4$ and vanishes for $n\to 1$ and $n\to 2$.

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