No Arabic abstract
We report the results of exact diagonalization studies of Hubbard models on a $4times 4$ square lattice with periodic boundary conditions and various degrees and patterns of inhomogeneity, which are represented by inequivalent hopping integrals $t$ and $t^{prime}$. We focus primarily on two patterns, the checkerboard and the striped cases, for a large range of values of the on-site repulsion $U$ and doped hole concentration, $x$. We present evidence that superconductivity is strongest for $U$ of order the bandwidth, and intermediate inhomogeneity, $0 <t^prime< t$. The maximum value of the ``pair-binding energy we have found with purely repulsive interactions is $Delta_{pb} = 0.32t$ for the checkerboard Hubbard model with $U=8t$ and $t^prime = 0.5t$. Moreover, for near optimal values, our results are insensitive to changes in boundary conditions, suggesting that the correlation length is sufficiently short that finite size effects are already unimportant.
A strong periodic potential generally enhances the short wavelength fluctuations of a superfluid beyond the validity of standard continuum approaches. Here we report some recent results on hard core bosons on finite lattices. We find several interesting effects of the periodic potential on the ground state, vortex dynamics, and and Hall conductivity. For example, the Magnus field on a vortex abruptly reverses direction at half filling. A rotating Bose condensate on an optical lattice may allow an experimental test of our results. Insight may also be gained about strongly fluctuating superconductors modelled by charge 2e lattice bosons.
We discuss evolution of the Fermi surface (FS) topology with doping in electron doped cuprates within the framework of a one-band Hubbard Hamiltonian, where antiferromagnetism and superconductivity are assumed to coexist in a uniform phase. In the lightly doped insulator, the FS consists of electron pockets around the $(pi,0)$ points. The first change in the FS topology occurs in the optimally doped region when an additional hole pocket appears at the nodal point. The second change in topology takes place in the overdoped regime ($sim18%$) where antiferromagnetism disappears and a large $(pi,pi)$-centered metallic FS is formed. Evidence for these two topological transitions is found in recent Hall effect and penetration depth experiments on Pr$_{2-x}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4-delta}$ (PCCO) and with a number of spectroscopic measurements on Nd$_{2-x}$Ce$_{x}$CuO$_{4-delta}$ (NCCO).
We propose a superlattice model to describe superconductivity in layered materials, such as the borocarbide families with the chemical formulae $RT_2$B$_2$C and $RT$BC, with $R$ being (essentially) a rare earth, and $T$ a transition metal. We assume a single band in which electrons feel a local attractive interaction (negative Hubbard-$U$) on sites representing the $T$B layers, while U=0 on sites representing the $R$C layers; the multi-band structure is taken into account minimally through a band offset $epsilon$. The one-dimensional model is studied numerically through the calculation of the charge gap, the Drude weight, and of the pairing correlation function. A comparison with the available information on the nature of the electronic ground state (metallic or superconducting) indicates that the model provides a systematic parametrization of the whole borocarbide family.
We report density functional theory calculations for the parent compound LaOFeAs of the newly discovered 26K Fe-based superconductor LaO$_{1-x}$F$_x$FeAs. We find that the ground state is an ordered antiferromagnet, with staggered moment about 2.3$mu_B$, on the border with the Mott insulating state. We fit the bands crossing the Fermi surface, derived from Fe and As, to a tight-binding Hamiltonian using maximally localized Wannier functions on Fe 3d and As 4p orbitals. The model Hamiltonian accurately describes the Fermi surface obtained via first-principles calculations. Due to the evident proximity of superconductivity to antiferromagnetism and the Mott transition, we suggest that the system may be an analog of the electron doped cuprates, where antiferromagnetism and superconductivity coexist.
One novel arena for designing superconductors with high $T_C$ is the flat-band systems. A basic idea is that flat bands, arising from quantum mechanical interference, give unique opportunities for enhancing $T_C$ with (i) many pair-scattering channels between the dispersive and flat bands, and (ii) an even more interesting situation when the flat band is topological and highly entangled. Here we compare two routes, which comprise a multi-band system with a flat band coexisting with dispersive ones, and a one-band case with a portion of the band being flat. Superconductivity can be induced in both cases when the flat band or portion is incipient (close to, but away from, the Fermi energy). Differences are, for the multi-band case, we can exploit large entanglement associated with topological states, while for the one-band case a transition between different (d and p) wave pairings can arise. These hint at some future directions.