0000000000053426
AUTHOR
Alfred Z. Msezane
The influence of topological phase transition on the superfluid density of overdoped copper oxides
We show that a topological quantum phase transition, generating flat bands and altering Fermi surface topology, is a primary reason for the exotic behavior of the overdoped high-temperature superconductors represented by $\rm La_{2-x}Sr_xCuO_4$, whose superconductivity features differ from what is described by the classical Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer theory [J.I. Bo\^zovi\'c, X. He, J. Wu, and A. T. Bollinger, Nature 536, 309 (2016)]. We demonstrate that 1) at temperature $T=0$, the superfluid density $n_s$ turns out to be considerably smaller than the total electron density; 2) the critical temperature $T_c$ is controlled by $n_s$ rather than by doping, and is a linear function of the $n_s$…
Energy scales and magnetoresistance at a quantum critical point
The magnetoresistance (MR) of CeCoIn_5 is notably different from that in many conventional metals. We show that a pronounced crossover from negative to positive MR at elevated temperatures and fixed magnetic fields is determined by the scaling behavior of quasiparticle effective mass. At a quantum critical point (QCP) this dependence generates kinks (crossover points from fast to slow growth) in thermodynamic characteristics (like specific heat, magnetization etc) at some temperatures when a strongly correlated electron system transits from the magnetic field induced Landau Fermi liquid (LFL) regime to the non-Fermi liquid (NFL) one taking place at rising temperatures. We show that the abov…
Violation of the Time-Reversal and Particle-Hole Symmetries in Strongly Correlated Fermi Systems: A Review
In this review, we consider the time reversal T and particle-antiparticle C symmetries that, being most fundamental, can be violated at microscopic level by a weak interaction. The notable example here is from condensed matter, where strongly correlated Fermi systems like heavy-fermion metals and high Tc superconductors exhibit C and T symmetries violation due to so-called non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behavior. In these systems, tunneling differential conductivity (or resistivity) is a very sensitive tool to experimentally test the above symmetry break. When a strongly correlated Fermi system turns out to be near the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT), it exhibits t…
Magnetic-field-induced reentrance of Fermi-liquid behavior and spin-lattice relaxation rates in
Abstract A strong departure from Landau–Fermi liquid (LFL) behavior have been recently revealed in observed anomalies in both the magnetic susceptibility χ and the muon and 63Cu nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rates 1 / T 1 of YbCu 5 − x Au x ( x = 0.6 ). We show that the above anomalies along with magnetic-field-induced reentrance of LFL properties are indeed determined by the dependence of the quasiparticle effective mass M ∗ on magnetic field B and temperature T and demonstrate that violations of the Korringa law also come from M ∗ ( B , T ) dependence. We obtain this dependence theoretically utilizing our approach based on fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT) notion. Ou…
Flat bands and strongly correlated Fermi systems
Many strongly correlated Fermi systems including heavy-fermion (HF) metals and high-Tc superconductors belong to that class of quantum many-body systems for which Landau Fermiliquid (LFL) theory fails. Instead, these systems exhibit non-Fermi-liquid properties that arise from violation of time-reversal (T) and particle-hole (C) invariance. Measurements of tunneling conductance provide a powerful experimental tool for detecting violations of these basic symmetries inherent to LFLs, which guarantee that the measured differential conductivity dI/dV, where I is the current and V the bias voltage, is a symmetric function of V. Thus, it has been predicted that the conductivity becomes asymmetric …
Thermodynamic, dynamic and transport properties of quantum spin liquid in herbertsmithite from experimental and theoretical point of view
In our review we focus on the quantum spin liquid, defining the thermodynamic, transport and relaxation properties of geometrically frustrated magnets (insulators) represented by herbertsmithite $\rm ZnCu_{3}(OH)_6Cl_2$.
Universal behavior of two-dimensional 3He at low temperatures.
On the example of two-dimensional (2D) 3He we demonstrate that the main universal features of its experimental temperature T - density x phase diagram [see M. Neumann, J. Ny\'{e}ki, J. Saunders, Science 317, 1356 (2007)] look like those in the heavy-fermion metals. Our comprehensive theoretical analysis of experimental situation in 2D 3He allows us to propose a simple expression for effective mass M^*(T,x), describing all diverse experimental facts in 2D 3He in unified manner and demonstrating that the universal behavior of M^*(T,x) coincides with that observed in HF metals.
FERMION CONDENSATION, T -LINEAR RESISTIVITY AND PLANCKIAN LIMIT
We explain recent challenging experimental observations of universal scattering rate related to the linear-temperature resistivity exhibited by a large corps of both strongly correlated Fermi systems and conventional metals. We show that the observed scattering rate in strongly correlated Fermi systems like heavy fermion metals and high-$T_c$ superconductors stems from phonon contribution that induce the linear temperature dependence of a resistivity. The above phonons are formed by the presence of flat band, resulting from the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT). We emphasize that so - called Planckian limit, widely used to explain the above universal scatteri…
Quasiparticles and quantum phase transition in universal low-temperature properties of heavy-fermion metals
We demonstrate, that the main universal features of the low temperature experimental $H-T$ phase diagram of CeCoIn5 and other heavy-fermion metals can be well explained using Landau paradigm of quasiparticles. The main point of our theory is that above quasiparticles form so-called fermion-condensate state, achieved by a fermion condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT). When a heavy fermion liquid undergoes FCQPT, the fluctuations accompanying above quantum critical point are strongly suppressed and cannot destroy the quasiparticles. The comparison of our theoretical results with experimental data on CeCoIn5 have shown that the electronic system of above substance provides a unique opp…
Asymmetric Tunneling Conductance and the non-Fermi Liquid Behavior of Strongly Correlated Fermi Systems
Tunneling differential conductivity (or resistivity) is a sensitive tool to experimentally test the nonFermi liquid behavior of strongly correlated Fermi systems. In the case of common metals the Landau– Fermi liquid theory demonstrates that the differential conductivity is a symmetric function of bias voltage V . This is because the particle-hole symmetry is conserved in the Landau–Fermi liquid state. When a strongly correlated Fermi system turns out to be near the topological fermion condensation quantum phase transition, its Landau–Fermi liquid properties disappear so that the particle-hole symmetry breaks making the differential tunneling conductivity to be asymmetric function of V . Th…
Flat Bands and Salient Experimental Features Supporting the Fermion Condensation Theory of Strongly Correlated Fermi
The physics of strongly correlated Fermi systems, being the mainstream topic for more than half a century, still remains elusive. Recent advancements in experimental techniques permit to collect important data, which, in turn, allow us to make the conclusive statements about the underlying physics of strongly correlated Fermi systems. Such systems are close to a special quantum critical point represented by topological fermion-condensation quantum phase transition which separates normal Fermi liquid and that with a fermion condensate, forming flat bands. Our review paper considers recent exciting experimental observations of universal scattering rate related to linear temperature dependence…
Identification of strongly correlated spin liquid in herbertsmithite
Exotic quantum spin liquid (QSL) is formed with such hypothetic particles as fermionic spinons carrying spin 1/2 and no charge. Here we calculate its thermodynamic and relaxation properties. Our calculations unveil the fundamental properties of QSL, forming strongly correlated Fermi system located at a fermion condensation quantum phase transition. These are in a good agreement with experimental data and allow us to detect the behavior of QSL as that observed in heavy fermion metals. We predict that the thermal resistivity of QSL under the application of magnetic fields at fixed temperature demonstrates a very specific behavior. The key features of our findings are the presence of spin-char…
Theoretical and experimental developments in quantum spin liquid in geometrically frustrated magnets: a review
The exotic substances have exotic properties. One class of such substances is geometrically frustrated magnets, where correlated spins reside in the sites of triangular or kagome lattice. In some cases, such magnet would not have long-range magnetic order. Rather, its spins tend to form kind of pairs, called valence bonds. At $$T \rightarrow 0$$ these highly entangled quantum objects condense in the form of a liquid, called quantum spin liquid (QSL). The observation of a gapless QSL in actual materials is of fundamental significance both theoretically and technologically, as it could open a path to creation of topologically protected states for quantum information processing and computation…
New state of matter: heavy-fermion systems, quantum spin liquids, quasicrystals, cold gases, and high temperature superconductors
We report on a new state of matter manifested by strongly correlated Fermi systems including various heavy-fermion (HF) metals, two-dimensional quantum liquids such as $\rm ^3He$ films, certain quasicrystals, and systems behaving as quantum spin liquids. Generically, these systems can be viewed as HF systems or HF compounds, in that they exhibit typical behavior of HF metals. At zero temperature, such systems can experience a so-called fermion-condensation quantum phase transition (FCQPT). Combining analytical considerations with arguments based entirely on experimental grounds we argue and demonstrate that the class of HF systems is characterized by universal scaling behavior of their ther…
Heavy fermion spin liquid in herbertsmithite
We analyze recent heat capacity measurements in herbertsmithite $\rm ZnCu_3(OH)_6Cl_2$ single crystal samples subjected to strong magnetic fields. We show that the temperature dependence of specific heat $C_{mag}$ formed by quantum spin liquid at different magnetic fields $B$ resembles the electronic heat capacity $C_{el}$ of the HF metal $\rm YbRh_2Si_2$. We demonstrate that the spinon effective mass $M^*_{mag}\propto C_{mag}/T$ exhibits a scaling behavior like that of $C_{el}/T$. We also show that the recent measurements of $C_{mag}$ are compatible with those obtained on powder samples. These observations allow us to conclude that $\rm ZnCu_3(OH)_6Cl_2$ holds a stable strongly correlated …
Universal Behavior of Quantum Spin Liquid and Optical Conductivity in the Insulator Herbertsmithite
We analyze optical conductivity with the goal to demonstrate experimental manifestation of a new state of matter, the so-called fermion condensate. Fermion condensates are realized in quantum spin liquids, exhibiting typical behavior of heavy fermion metals. Measurements of the low-frequency optical conductivity collected on the geometrically frustrated insulator herbertsmithite provide important experimental evidence of the nature of its quantum spin liquid composed of spinons. To analyze recent measurements of the herbertsmithite optical conductivity at different temperatures, we employ a model of strongly correlated quantum spin liquid located near the fermion condensation phase transiti…