arXiv subjects

Zachary M. Raines

Publications and source records attributed to Zachary M. Raines.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Two-dimensional Stoner transitions beyond mean-field

We have previously shown that the Stoner instability 2D has unconventional behavior: it is strongly first order but features a susceptibility which diverges at the transition point. Here, we analyze the Stoner transition for two-dimensional systems with spin and valley degrees of freedom, beyond mean field. At low density, we show that in one-valley and isotropic two-valley systems the leading effect beyond mean-field theory is suppression of the Stoner instability. In anisotropic two-valley systems, we show that, for larger anisotropy, the transition remains mean-field-like and retains its unconventional properties. We discuss applications to AlAs quantum wells.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Unconventional discontinuous transitions in isospin systems

We show that two-dimensional fermions with dispersion $k^2$ or $k^4$ undergo a first-order Stoner transition to a fully spin-polarized state despite that the spin susceptibility diverges at the critical point. We extend our analysis to systems with dispersion $k^{2α}$ and spin and valley isospin and show that there is a cascade of instabilities into fractional-metal states with some electron bands fully depleted; narrow intermediate ranges of partially-depleted bands exist for $α<1$ or $α> 2$. The susceptibility becomes large near each transition. We discuss applications to biased bilayer and tri-layer graphene and moiré systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Unconventional discontinuous transitions in a 2D system with spin and valley degrees of freedom

We analyze the transition into the most favorable ordered state for a system of 2D fermions with spin and valley degrees of freedom. We show that for a range of rotationally invariant dispersions, the ordering transition is highly unconventional: the associated susceptibility diverges (or almost diverges) at the transition, yet immediately below it the system jumps discontinuously into a fully polarized state. We analyze the dispersion of the longitudinal and transverse collective modes in different parameter regimes above and below the transition. Additionally, we consider ordering in a system with full $\mathrm{SU(4)}$ symmetry and show that there is a cascade of discontinuous transitions into a set of states, which includes a quarter-metal, a half-metal and a three-quarter metal. We compare our results with the data for biased bilayer and tri-layer graphene.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Applicability of Eliashberg theory for systems with electron-phonon and electron-electron interaction: a comparative analysis

We present a comparative analysis of the validity of Eliashberg theory for the cases of fermions interacting with an Einstein phonon and with soft nematic fluctuations near an Ising-nematic/Ising-ferromagnetic quantum-critical point (QCP). In both cases, Eliashberg theory is obtained by neglecting vertex corrections. For the phonon case, the reasoning to neglect vertex corrections is the Migdal ``fast electron/slow boson'' argument because the phonon velocity is much smaller than the Fermi velocity, $v_F$. The same argument allows one to compute the fermionic self-energy within Eliashberg theory perturbatively rather than self-consistently. For the nematic case, the velocity of a collective boson is comparable to $v_F$ and this argument apparently does not work. Nonetheless, we argue that while two-loop vertex corrections near a nematic QCP are not small parametrically, they are small numerically. At the same time, perturbative calculation of the fermionic self-energy can be rigorously justified when the fermion-boson coupling is small compared to the Fermi energy. Furthermore, we argue that for the electron-phonon case Eliashberg theory breaks down at some distance from where the dressed Debye frequency would vanish, while for the nematic case it holds all the way to a QCP. From this perspective, Eliashberg theory for the nematic case actually works better than for the electron-phonon case.

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arXiv2023

Superfluid stiffness within Eliashberg theory: the role of vertex corrections

In this work we consider the superfluid stiffness of a generically non-Galilean invariant interacting system and investigate under what conditions the stiffness may nonetheless approach the Galilean-invariant value $n/m$. Within Eliashberg theory we find that the renormalized stiffness is approximately given by $n/m$ in the case when the $l=0$ and $l=1$ components of the effective Fermi-surface projected interaction are approximately equal over a range of frequencies. This holds, in particular, when the interaction is peaked at zero momentum transfer. We examine this result through three complementary lenses: the $δ(ω)$ term in the conductivity, the phase dependence of the Luttinger-Ward free energy, and the coupling of the amplitude and phase sectors in the Hubbard-Stratonovich collective mode action. From these considerations we show that the value of the stiffness is determined by the strength of renormalization of the current vertex and that the latter can be interpreted as the shift of the self-consistent solution due to flow of the condensate, or alternatively as coupling of the phase mode to $l=1$ fluctuations of the order parameter. We highlight that even though the superfluid stiffness in some non-Galilean systems approaches the Galilean value, this is not enforced by symmetry, and in general the stiffness may be strongly suppressed from its BCS value. As a corollary we obtain the generic form of the phase action within Eliashberg theory and charge and spin Ward identities for a superconductor with frequency dependent gap function.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2022

Disorder in Andreev reflection of a quantum Hall edge

We develop a theory of charge transport along the quantum Hall edge proximitized by a "dirty" superconductor. Disorder randomizes the Andreev reflection rendering the conductance of a proximitized segment a stochastic quantity with zero average for a sufficiently long segment. We find the statistical distribution of the conductance and its dependence on electron density, magnetic field, and temperature.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Spin-valley Silin modes in graphene with substrate-induced spin-orbit coupling

In the presence of external magnetic field the Fermi-liquid state supports oscillatory spin modes known as Silin modes. We predict the existence of the generalized Silin modes in a multivalley system, monolayer graphene. A gauge- and Berry-gauge- invariant kinetic equation for a multivalley Fermi liquid is developed and applied to the case of graphene with extrinsic spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The interplay of SOC and Berry curvature allows for the excitation of generalized Silin modes in the spin and valley-staggered-spin channels via an AC electric field. The resonant contributions from these modes to the optical conductivity are calculated.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Spin-valley collective modes of the electron liquid in graphene

We develop the theory of collective modes supported by a Fermi liquid of electrons in pristine graphene. Under reasonable assumptions regarding the electron-electron interaction, all the modes but the plasmon are over-damped. In addition to the $SU(2)$ symmetric spin mode, these include also the valley imbalance modes obeying a $U(1)$ symmetry, and a $U(2)$ symmetric valley spin imbalance mode. We derive the interactions and diffusion constants characterizing the over-damped modes. The corresponding relaxation rates set fundamental constraints on graphene valley- and spintronics applications.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2019

Manifestations of spin-orbit coupling in a cuprate superconductor

Exciting new work on Bi2212 shows the presence of non-trivial spin-orbit coupling effects as seen in spin resolved ARPES data [Gotlieb et al., Science, 362, 1271-1275 (2018)]. Motivated by these observations we consider how the picture of spin-orbit coupling through local inversion symmetry breaking might be observed in cuprate superconductors. Furthermore, we examine two spin-orbit driven effects, the spin-Hall effect and the Edelstein effect, focusing on the details of their realizations within both the normal and superconducting states.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Cavity Higgs-Polaritons

Motivated by the dramatic success of realizing cavity exciton-polariton condensation in experiment we consider the formation of polaritons from cavity photons and the amplitude or Higgs mode of a superconductor. Enabled by the recently predicted and observed supercurrent-induced linear coupling between these excitations and light, we find that hybridization between Higgs excitations in a disordered quasi-2D superconductor and resonant cavity photons can occur, forming Higgs-polariton states. This provides the potential for a new means to manipulate the superconducting state as well as potential for novel photonic cavity circuit elements.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Optical Enhancement of Superconductivity via Targeted Destruction of Charge Density Waves

It has been experimentally established that the occurrence of charge density waves is a common feature of various under-doped cuprate superconducting compounds. The observed states, which are often found in the form of bond density waves (BDW), often occur in a temperature regime immediately above the superconducting transition temperature. Motivated by recent optical experiments on superconducting materials, where it has been shown that optical irradiation can transiently improve the superconducting features, here, we propose a new approach for the enhancement of superconductivity by the targeted destruction of the BDW order. Since BDW states are usually found in competition with superconductivity, suppression of the BDW order enhances the tendency of electrons to form Cooper pairs after reaching a steady-state. By investigating the optical coupling of gapless, collective fluctuations of the BDW modes, we argue that the resonant excitation of these modes can melt the underlying BDW order parameter. We propose an experimental setup to implement such an optical coupling using 2D plasmon-polariton hybrid systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Cavity Quantum Eliashberg Enhancement of Superconductivity

Driving a conventional superconductor with an appropriately tuned classical electromagnetic field can lead to an enhancement of superconductivity via a redistribution of the quasiparticles into a more favorable non-equilibrium distribution -- a phenomenon known as the Eliashberg effect. Here we theoretically consider coupling a two-dimensional superconducting film to the quantized electromagnetic modes of a microwave resonator cavity. As in the classical Eliashberg case, we use a kinetic equation to study the effect of the fluctuating, dynamical electromagnetic field on the Bogoliubov quasiparticles. We find that when the photon and quasiparticle systems are out of thermal equilibrium, a redistribution of quasiparticles into a more favorable non-equilibrium steady-state occurs, thereby enhancing superconductivity in the sample. We predict that by tailoring the cavity environment (e.g. the photon occupation and spectral functions), enhancement can be observed in a variety of parameter regimes, offering a large degree of tunability.

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arXiv2018

Cavity superconductor-polaritons

Following the recent success of realizing exciton-polariton condensates in cavities, we examine the hybridization of cavity photons with the closest analog of excitons within a superconductor, states called Bardasis-Schrieffer (BS) modes. Though BS modes do not typically couple directly to light, one can engineer a coupling with an externally imposed supercurrent, leading to the formation of hybridized Bardasis-Schrieffer-polariton states, which we obtain both via direct solution and through the derivation of an effective Hamiltonian picture for the model. These new excitations have nontrivial overlap with both the original photon states and $d$-wave superconducting fluctuations, implying that their condensation could produce a finite $d$-wave component of the superconducting order parameter--an $s\pm id$ superconducting state.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

Hybridization of Higgs modes in a bond-density-wave state in cuprates

Recently, several groups have reported observations of collective modes of the charge order present in underdoped cuprates. Motivated by these experiments, we study theoretically the oscillations of the order parameters, both in the case of pure charge order, and for charge order coexisting with superconductivity. Using a hot-spot approximation we find in the coexistence regime two Higgs modes arising from hybridization of the amplitude oscillations of the different order parameters. One of them has a minimum frequency that is within the single particle energy gap and which is a non-monotonic function of temperature. The other -- high-frequency -- mode is smoothly connected to the Higgs mode in the single-order-parameter region, but quickly becomes overdamped in the case of coexistence. We explore an unusual low-energy damping channel for the collective modes, which relies on the band reconstruction caused by the coexistence of the two orders. For completeness, we also consider the damping of the collective modes originating from the nodal quasiparticles. At the end we discuss some experimental consequences of our results.

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arXiv2015

Nonequilibrium enhancement of high-temperature superconductivity in a 3D model of cuprates

Recent experiments in the cuprates have seen evidence of a transient superconducting state upon optical excitation polarized along the c-axis [R. Mankowsky et al., Nature 516, 71 (2014)]. Motivated by these experiments we propose an extension of the single-layer $t-J-V$ model of cuprates to three dimensions in order to study the effects of inter-plane tunneling on the competition between superconductivity and bond density wave order. We find that an optical pump can suppress the charge order and simultaneously enhance superconductivity, due to the inherent competition between the two. We also provide an intuitive picture of the physical mechanism underlying this effect. Furthermore, based on a simple Floquet theory we estimate the magnitude of the enhancement.

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