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Ya-Hui Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Ya-Hui Zhang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Emergent heavy fermion and superconductivity near Mott transition in twisted bilayer graphene

Near a bandwidth-tuned Mott transition, the Fermi velocity $v_F$ and quasiparticle residue $Z$ of a metal often vanish. Here, we show that analogous phenomena emerge in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) at integer fillings and can be captured by an emergent heavy-fermion framework within a projective active-band limit. Unlike models incorporating remote bands, our effective heavy-fermion description arises from \textit{mixed-valence Mott} physics via decoupled charge and local-moment sectors. In the charge sector, active bands $c(\mathbf{k})$ hybridize with an emergent \emph{orthogonal fermion} $ψ(\mathbf{k})$ to open a large Mott gap at $|\mathbf{k}| > k_*$ ($k_*$ sets the momentum-patch size) and a quadratic band-touching semimetal near $\mathbf{k}=0$ at neutrality ($ν=0$). The orthogonal fermion is a linear combination of the doublon and holon excitations and may be written as $ψ_i \sim (δn^f_i+\frac{1}{2})^{-1} f_i$. An emergent Kondo coupling $J_K \sim U$ ($U$ is the local Hubbard interaction) between $ψ$ and local moments $ψ'$ frames the Mott transition as a Kondo screening transition, tuned by the twist angle $θ$. Away from the magic angle, a Kondo-screened heavy semimetal develops below $T_K$ (the Kondo temperature) with vanishing $Z$. Introducing anti-Hund's coupling $J_A$ generates an s-wave fully gapped or nematic, nodally gapped superconducting dome near the Mott boundary even at $ν=0$. At other integer fillings $ν= \pm 1, \pm 2$, increasing bandwidth first drives the small-gap Mott state into an intermediate quadratic band-touching semimetal before entering a heavy Fermi liquid with large Fermi surfaces. Our results establish a unified framework for emergent heavy fermion physics with both itinerant carriers and local moments from the $f$ orbital.

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Quantum Mott semimetal in a one-dimensional Hubbard model

Mott physics in topological bands has recently attracted considerable attention, particularly in the context of twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). However, the essential ingredients for stabilizing this physics remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate a quantum Mott semimetal phase as the ground state within a one-dimensional spinful Hubbard model featuring only one orbital per unit cell, protected by inversion and particle-hole symmetries. We start from a two-orbital model where a localized $f$ orbital on the A sublattice hybridizes with a delocalized $c$ orbital on the B sublattice. Projecting the $f$-orbital Hubbard $U$ onto the active flat band yields a lattice model with Wannier orbitals centered on the B sublattice. Similar to TBG, a momentum-space scale $k_*$ emerges, setting the interaction range in the projected model to $1/k_*$. While the ground state is ferromagnetic with only the Hubbard $U$, introducing an inter-site antiferromagnetic spin coupling $J$ stabilizes a Mott semimetal$^*$ phase with a central charge $c=3$. Using exact diagonalization (ED) and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) methods, we show that this phase hosts a spinful Dirac fermion coexisting with a neutral spin mode -- analogous to the fractionalized Fermi liquid (FL$^*$) phase in higher dimensions. Furthermore, breaking particle-hole (PH) symmetry via dispersion transforms the Mott semimetal into a Mott insulator, which is separated from a distinct Mott insulating phase by a continuous transition with a polarization jump of $1/2$. Our work provides the first unbiased evidence of a Mott semimetal ground state and demonstrates that this 1D model captures some essential aspects of TBG physics, despite lacking a Wannier obstruction.

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Color superconductors and holon metals from doping a Fractional Chern insulator

We develop a unified framework for metallic and superconducting phases obtained by doping a fractional Chern insulator (FCI) with $C=1/3$. Starting from the parton construction $c(\mathbf r)=f_1(\mathbf r)f_2(\mathbf r)f_3(\mathbf r)$, the low-energy theory has $SU(3)_{\mathrm{gauge}}\times SU(3)_{\mathrm{valley}}$ symmetry and nine Fermi pockets formed by charge-$-e/3$ holons $ψ_{ab}$, where $a$ and $b$ label color and valley. Viewing the holons as quarks connects this problem to color superconductivity in high-energy physics. Color-antisymmetric pairing produces a class of charge-$2e$ superconductors with angular momentum $L=3n$ and chiral central charge $c_-=m/2$, where $m$ is odd. Thus a gas of charge-$e/3$ anyons can enter a superconducting phase directly without binding. Particle--hole color--valley Higgs fields instead produce two $Z_3$ orthogonal metals with one or three pockets, transforming respectively as a singlet or triplet of $SU(3)_{\mathrm{valley}}$. A $U(1)^2$ holon metal with three identical pockets can preserve the triangular-lattice space group while reducing the emergent valley symmetry down to $S_3$. Its pairing instabilities include a gapped charge $2e$ $f-if$ superconductor and a gapless charge-$2e$ orthogonal superconductor with $\langle cc\rangle=0$ and a Bogoliubov Fermi surface at $Γ$. Finally, we discuss the possibility of a chemical-potential-tuned transition from the FCI to superconductivity and argue that all nine fermions may be required if the transition preserves the full emergent $SU(3)_v$ symmetry.

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Fermi surface change and $d$-wave superconductivity in the square lattice Kondo-Heisenberg model

We study the two-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model on a square lattice, with the conduction electrons away from half-filling, using neural network quantum states. Mapping the ground-state phase diagram as a function of the Kondo and Heisenberg couplings, we identify (i) at weak Kondo coupling, antiferromagnetic Néel order with a Fermi surface whose enclosed area counts only the conduction electrons and is insensitive to the Néel order, and (ii) at strong coupling, a heavy Fermi liquid with a Fermi surface whose enclosed area counts both the conduction electrons and the spins. In the crossover between these regimes, we find $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductivity, evidenced by off-diagonal long-range order in the pair-pair correlations and a pairing-amplitude dome that coexists with the underlying magnetic phase. Our results establish Fermi volume change and unconventional superconductivity as intrinsic features of the two-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model.

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Displacement-Field-Driven Semimetal-Superconductor Transition in Magic-Angle Twisted Trilayer Graphene

Magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene(MATTG) hosts versatile displacement-field-tuned correlated phenomena. MATTG consists of a dispersive Dirac cone which hybridizes with the flat band from a twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) sector. The hybridization strength increases with the displacement field $D$ and naively one may expect D-driven heavy fermion physics. However, the TBG Hubbard bands have a momentum-selective Mott gap, which is small at the $Γ$ point due to the band topology, and a rigid local moment description as in the familiar Kondo lattice model is invalid. Here we show that the dominant effect of the displacement field is to induce an energy shift of the Dirac cone and self-doping into the TBG sector. We illustrate this picture in a concrete calculation using a slave-particle theory at the filling $ν=\pm 2$. We find that increasing $D$ drives a transition from a semimetal into a superconducting state. We also discuss the enhancement of the superconductivity by $D$ near $ν=\pm2$ and the particle-hole asymmetry of the phase diagram. Our results provide a unified picture for electric-field-tunable superconductivity, Mottness, and heavy-fermion-like behavior in MATTG.

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Yamaji effect in models of underdoped cuprates

Recent angle-dependent magnetoresistance measurements in underdoped cuprates have revealed compelling evidence for small hole pockets in the pseudogap regime, including observation of the Yamaji effect in HgBa$_2$CuO$_{4+δ}$ (Chan et al., Nature Physics 10.1038/s41567-025-03032-2 (2025)). A key distinction between theories is their predicted Fermi volumes, measured as fractions of the square lattice Brillouin zone: $p/4$ per pocket for spin density wave (SDW) versus $p/8$ for fractionalized Fermi liquid (FL*), where $p$ is the hole doping. We calculate the $c$-axis magnetoresistance $ρ_{zz}(θ, ϕ)$ within the semiclassical Boltzmann formalism for both states, and using the ancilla layer model (ALM) for FL* in a single-band Hamiltonian. The results from the $\text{FL}^*$ phase show good consistency with current experimental data. Conversely, the results for the SDW phase are highly sensitive to the ordering momentum along the $z$-direction. An ordering vector of $Q = (π, π, π)$ yields predictions that starkly disagree with the experiment. The only possibility for agreement within the SDW scenario is to assume an ordering momentum of $Q = (π, π, 0)$. However, even in this specific case, the SDW scenario predicts a marginally smaller Yamaji angle at $ϕ=0$ than the FL* theory, and a second Yamaji peak near in-plane angle $ϕ= 45^\circ$, which was not observed in the experiment. In reality, the Néel ordering vector is likely uncorrelated between adjacent layers, so that there is no coherent interlayer transport of hole-pocket quasiparticles in the SDW scenario, and consequently no Yamaji effect. Our results support the FL* interpretation of Fermi arcs in the pseudogap phase, and establish Yamaji angle measurements as a discriminatory tool between theoretical models.

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Pseudogap and Non-Fermi-liquid criticality in double Kondo model for bilayer nickelates

Motivated by recent experimental progress on high-temperature superconductivity in bilayer nickelates, we investigate the phase diagram of the normal state in a bilayer Kondo lattice model using single-site dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT). When the interlayer tunneling $t_\perp$ is absent, we identify a non-Fermi-liquid (NFL) critical point tuned by the interlayer spin coupling $J_\perp$ or hole doping $x$, which separates a standard Fermi liquid in the overdoped region from a distinct pseudogap (PG) metal in the underdoped regime. This PG phase, which we term the `second Fermi liquid' (sFL), exhibits small hole pockets and violates the perturbative Luttinger theorem despite the absence of symmetry breaking or fractionalization. The PG metal behaves like a heavy Fermi liquid, with small quasi-particle residue and large effective mass. We also provide an intuitive analytical description of the pseudogap and the ground-state wave function based on an ancilla-fermion framework. Inside the PG phase, we interpret the ancilla fermion as a spin-polaron and demonstrate a Kondo-like resonance peak in the spectral function of this composite fermion directly in DMFT calculation. Extending the analysis to finite $t_\perp$, we apply this framework to the bilayer nickelate $\mathrm{La}_3\mathrm{Ni}_2\mathrm{O}_7$. We propose that current experimental samples ($x \approx 0.5$) reside in the overdoped FL regime, suggesting that the pseudogap phase and the NFL criticality may be accessed via electron doping.

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Transformer Neural-Network Quantum States for lattice models of spins and fermions: Application to the Ancilla Layer Model

We introduce a variational wave function based on Neural-Network Quantum States (NQS) to study lattice systems whose local Hilbert space contains both spin and fermionic degrees of freedom. Our approach is based on the use of the Transformer architecture, which can naturally handle composite local Hilbert spaces through a tokenization procedure closely inspired by techniques from natural language processing. The neural network predicts a set of fermionic orbitals that depend on the spin configuration in a backflow-inspired manner. We apply the method to the one-dimensional Ancilla Layer Model, consisting of a chain of mobile spin-$1/2$ fermions coupled to a two-leg spin-$1/2$ ladder. For open boundary conditions, we achieve excellent quantitative agreement with Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) results across the full range of parameters considered. We find a phase in which the chain forms an effectively decoupled Luttinger liquid (LL), and a LL* phase with a distinct Fermi wavevector in which the mobile fermions are Kondo screened by one leg of the ladder, while the other leg forms the critical Bethe spin liquid. The LL* is the analog of the phase describing the pseudogap in two dimensions. We also find a Luther-Emery (LE) phase, where the LL* state becomes unstable toward the formation of a spin gap. The Transformer Ansatz maintains comparable accuracy for periodic boundary conditions, where tensor-network methods are computationally more demanding. Together, these findings establish Transformer-based NQS as an accurate and scalable variational framework for correlated lattice systems with composite local Hilbert spaces and highlight their potential for studying higher-dimensional models where boundary effects and heterogeneous local structures pose significant challenges.

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Primary charge-4e superconductivity from doping a featureless Mott insulator

Superconductivity is usually understood as a phase in which charge-$2e$ Cooper pairs are condensed. Charge-$4e$ superconductivity has largely been discussed as a vestigial order at finite temperature emerging from charge-$2e$ states. Primary charge-$4e$ superconducting phases at zero temperature remain scarce in both experiments and microscopic models. Here we argue that a doped featureless Mott insulator with $SU(4)$ symmetry provides a natural platform for primary charge-$4e$ superconductivity, based on perturbative renormalization group arguments and group theoretic considerations. As a concrete realization, we construct a bilayer Hubbard model with tunable onsite $SU(4)$ and $Sp(4)$ symmetries that exhibits a featureless Mott insulating phase at half filling. Its low energy physics is captured by a generalized ESD model, featuring an effective Hamiltonian that is purely kinetic within the constrained Hilbert space. Using density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations, we find a primary charge-$4e$ superconducting phase in the $SU(4)$ ESD model and a conventional primary charge-$2e$ phase in the $Sp(4)$ case. We further characterize the corresponding normal states and discuss the resulting finite temperature phase diagram.

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Incommensurate pair-density-wave correlations in two-leg ladder $t$--$J$--$J_\perp$ model

We report the discovery of a generalized Luther-Emery liquid phase characterized by incommensurate pair-density-wave (iC-PDW) correlations in the two-leg $t$-$J$-$J_\perp$ ladder model. By tuning the potential difference between the legs, we explore the regime of intermediate layer polarization $P$. Combining density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations with bosonization analysis, we identify a spin-gapped phase at finite $P$, where the interlayer and intralayer pair correlations both oscillate, but with distinct periodicities. The interlayer correlations exhibit FFLO-like oscillations, driven by pairing between layers with mismatched Fermi momenta, with a period determined by their momentum difference. In contrast, the intralayer pair correlations arise from the coupling between charges on one layer and spin fluctuations on the opposite layer, with a momentum equal to twice the Fermi momentum of the opposite layer. The iC-PDW state is robust across a wide range of doping and polarization, although finite interlayer hopping eventually destabilizes it toward a state with charge-$4e$ correlations. We conclude by discussing the experimental realization of this model in optical lattice platforms and its relevance to the bilayer nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$.

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High spin, low spin or gapped spins: magnetism in the bilayer nickelates

Inspired by the recent discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in bilayer nickelates, we investigate the role of magnetism emerging from a hypothetical insulating $d^8$ parent state. We demonstrate that due to the interplay of superexchange and Hund's coupling, the system can be in a high-spin, low-spin or spin-gapped state. The low-spin state has singlets across the bilayer in the $d_{z^2}$ orbital, with charge carriers in the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital. Thus, at low energy scales, it behaves as an effective one band system when hole doped. By contrast, the high-spin state is a more robust, spin-1 antiferromagnet. Using Hartree-Fock methods, we find that for fixed interaction strength and doping, high-spin magnetism remains more robust than the low-spin counterpart. Whether this implies that the high spin state provides a stronger pairing glue, or more strongly competes with superconductivity remains an open question. Our analysis therefore underscores the importance of identifying the spin state for understanding superconductivity in nickelates.

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Symmetric topological Mott insulator and Mott semimetal

Correlated physics in nearly flat topological bands is a central theme in the study of moiré materials. While ground states at integer fillings are typically identified as quantum Hall ferromagnets within a Hartree-Fock framework, we propose the existence of symmetric topological Mott insulators (STMIs) that transcend this Slater determinant picture. Focusing on half-filling of each flavor per unit cell, we demonstrate the existence of STMIs which exhibit a quantized charge or spin Hall response. We first establish this phase in a bilayer Haldane-Hubbard model with localized orbitals on the $A$ sublattice and dispersive band on the $B$ sublattice. Starting from a trivial Mott insulator on the $A$ sublattice, tuning the sublattice potential drives a Bose-Einstein-condensation (BEC) to Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) transition of the associated $p-\mathrm{i}p$ exciton pairing, realizing a topological Mott insulator with $C=1$ per flavor. We further generalize this construction to a single-layer spinful model, where the resulting STMI hosts charge edge modes coexisting with bulk local moments. A Mott semimetal is identified at the quantum critical point between the STMI and the trivial Mott insulator. Finally, we discuss applications to AA-stacked MoTe$_2$/WSe$_2$, proposing a ferromagnetic Chern insulator phase as a low-temperature descendant of the symmetric Mott semimetal.

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Pair-density-wave superconductivity and Anderson's theorem in bilayer nickelates

The recent experimental observations of high temperature superconductivity in bilayer nickelate have attracted lots of attentions. Previous studies have assumed a mirror symmetry $\mathcal M$ between the two layers and focused on uniform and clean superconducting states. Here, we show that breaking this mirror symmetry via an applied displacement field can stabilize a pair-density-wave (PDW) superconductor, which is similar to the Fulde--Ferrell--Larkin--Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state, but at zero magnetic field. Based on a mean-field analysis of a model of $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital with an effective inter-layer attraction, we demonstrate that the PDW phase is robust over a wide range of displacement field, interlayer hopping strengths, and electron fillings. Finally, we analyze disorder effects on interlayer superconductivity within the first Born approximation. Based on symmetry considerations, we show that pairing is weaken by disorders which break the mirror symmetry, even with unbroken time reversal symmetry. Our results establish bilayer nickelate as a tunable platform for realizing finite-momentum pairing and for exploring generalized disorder effects.

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Magnetism and superconductivity in bilayer nickelate

The discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in bilayer nickelate La$_{3}$Ni$_{2}$O$_{7}$ necessitates a minimal theoretical model that unifies the superconducting phase with the spin-density-wave (SDW) phase without external pressure or strain. We propose a model where half-filled $d_{z^{2}}$ local moments interact with itinerant $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$ electrons via strong Hund's coupling $J_H$, which reduces to a bilayer type-II t-J model in the large $J_H$ limit. Using iDMRG calculations on an $L_y=4, L_z=2$ cylinder, we demonstrate that the competition between double-exchange ferromagnetism and in-plane superexchange generates period-4 stripe-like SDW order-a feature absent in one-orbital t-J model with only $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital. Furthermore, increasing the interlayer exchange coupling suppresses magnetic order and stabilizes interlayer s-wave superconductivity. These results identify the type-II t-J model as a minimal framework for capturing the interplay of magnetism and superconductivity in bilayer nickelates.

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Holon metal, charge-density-wave and chiral superconductor from doping fractional Chern insulator and SU(3)$_1$ chiral spin liquid

Recent experiments have observed superconductivity proximate to the nu = -2/3 fractional quantum anomalous Hall (FQAH) insulator in twisted MoTe2. A critical open question is whether the underlying normal state is a Fermi liquid with a large Fermi surface or a strongly correlated metal with low carrier density. In this work, we develop a theory of the phases emerging from doping the $ν= -2/3$ fractional Chern insulator (FCI). We establish a duality between this problem and doping a gapped SU(3)$_1$ chiral spin liquid (CSL).

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Resonating-valence-bond superconductor from small Fermi surface in twisted bilayer graphene

Mechanism of superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) remains one of the central problems in correlated moiré materials. The most intriguing question is about the nature of the normal state: is the Cooper pair formed from small Fermi surface or large Fermi surface? In this work we point out the possibility of a symmetric pseudogap metal with small hole pockets, dubbed as second Fermi liquid (sFL). In the sFL phase at $ν=-2-x$, there is a two-component picture: two electrons mainly localize at each AA site and form a paired singlet due to anti-Hund's coupling mediated by the optical phonon, while additional holes doped into the AA sites form small Fermi surfaces. The sFL phase corresponds to an intrinsically strongly interacting fixed point and is topologically distinct to the conventional Fermi liquid. We develop a unified framework to describe both a renormalized FL phase and an sFL phase. We propose that the TBG superconductor emerges from the sFL phase, but is close to the transition toward the FL phase under increasing hole doping. In the superconductor, pairing of local moments is shared to the mobile carriers and a smaller superconducting gap with nodal $p_x$ symmetry is opened on the small hole pockets. This work provides, to our knowledge, the first unified theory that explains both the pseudogap metal above $T_c$ and the two-gap nematic superconductivity below it.

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Doping a spin-one Mott insulator: possible application to bilayer nickelate

In this article, we review some recent theoretical developments on potential high-temperature superconductors and unconventional metallic states that can arise from doping a spin-one Mott insulator in the $d^{8}$ valence. These studies are particularly relevant-though not limited-to the recently discovered bilayer nickelate superconductor La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$. We focus on a ferromagnetic (FM) Kondo lattice model with mobile electrons in the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital coupled to the localized spin moments in $d_{z^2}$ orbital through a large Hund's coupling $J_H$. In the large $J_H$ limit, the model reduces to the type II t-J model with a mixture of spin-half singlon states and spin-one doublon states. We summarize DMRG results on the Luther-Emery liquid in one dimensional chain and two-leg ladder. Then we mainly focus on bilayer square lattice and show that a large inter-layer coupling $J_\perp$ of $d_{z^2}$ orbital can induce strong inter-layer pairing of $d_{x^2-y^2}$ orbital. In the strong $J_\perp$ limit, a kinetic-energy driven high $T_c$ superconductivity is demonstrated in an ideal model with only a single hopping term. Furthermore, the model predicts a symmetric pseudogap metal-dubbed `second Fermi liquid"-in the underdoped regime, yielding a phase diagram analogous to that of hole-doped cuprates. The bilayer Kondo model therefore, presents a promising platform for both realizing higher-Tc superconductors and exploring non-Fermi liquid physics. We also comment on the possible limitations of the current models for the bilayer nickelate material and point out some future directions.

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Charge-4$e$ Anyon Superconductor from Doping $\text{SU}(4)_1$ chiral spin liquid

Previous studies have shown that $\text{SU}(4)_1$ chiral spin liquid can emerge in the SU($4$) Hubbard model on triangular lattice. A natural question then arises: What is the phase upon doping? In this work, we show the possibility that hole doping can give rise to an anyon superconductor and propose that both spinons and holons form integer quantum Hall states with opposite chiralities. Using topological field theory we demonstrate that the phase is a topological charge-$4e$ superconductor with chiral central charge $c_-=4$. We further identify the deconfined excitations and anyonic excitations bound to the vortex. This unusual superconductor may be realized in moir'e bilayer and detected through quantized thermal Hall effect and spin quantum Hall effect.

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