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arXiv:0711.0952

On the Luttinger theorem concerning number of particles in the ground states of systems of interacting fermions

Behnam Farid

Published Nov 6, 2007• 3 citations
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Abstract

We analyze the original proof by Luttinger and Ward of the Luttinger theorem, according to which for uniform ground states of systems of (interacting) fermions, which may be metallic or insulating, the number of k points corresponding to non-negative values of G_s(k;mu) is equal to the total number of particles with spin index s in these ground states. Here G_s(k;mu) is the single-particle Green function of particles with spin index s at the chemical potential mu. For the cases where the two-body interaction potential is short-range, and in particular for lattice models, we explicitly demonstrate that this theorem is unconditionally valid, irrespective of the strength of the bare interaction potential. We arrive at this conclusion by amongst other things demonstrating that the perturbation series expansion for self-energy in terms of skeleton diagrams, as encountered in the proof of the Luttinger-Ward identity, is uniformly convergent for almost all momenta and energies. We further investigate the mechanisms underlying some reported instances of failure of the Luttinger theorem. With one exception, for all the cases considered in this paper, we show that the apparent failures of the Luttinger theorem can be attributed either to shortcomings of the employed single-particle Green functions or to misapplication of this theorem. The one exceptional case brings to light the possibility of a genuine failure of the Luttinger theorem for insulating ground states, which we show to be brought about by a false limit that in principle can be reached on taking the zero-temperature limit without the value of mu coinciding with the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential satisfying the equation of state at finite temperatures; no such ambiguity can arise for metallic states.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.0711.0952

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On the Luttinger-Ward functional and the convergence of skeleton diagrammatic series expansion of the self-energy for Hubbard-like models

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arXiv:2108.10903•Aug 24, 2021•1 citation

Reply to ``Comment on `On the Luttinger theorem concerning number of particles in the ground states of systems of interacting fermions','' arXiv:0711.3093v1, by A. Rosch

Behnam Farid

We reply to the Comment by Achim Rosch [1] (arXiv:0711.3093v1) who challenges our finding in Ref. [2] (arXiv:0711.0952v1) with regard to the validity of the Luttinger theorem in the cases of Mott insulating N-particle ground states (even) when the chemical potential used in applying this theorem coincides with the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential satisfying the equation of state corresponding to N particles. Rosch further argues that the strong-coupling expression for the single-particle Green function presented in Ref. [3] (arXiv:cond-mat/0602656v2) and analyzed in Ref. [2] does not imply destruction of the Mott insulating state at half-filling as a result of an arbitrary weak hopping contribution that breaks particle-hole symmetry and therefore suggests that our conclusion in Ref. [2] to the contrary were incorrect. Here we show the shortcomings of Rosch's arguments.

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Comment on "Violation of the Luttinger sum rule within the Hubbard model on a triangular lattice", by J. Kokalj and P. Prelovsek [Eur. Phys. J. B 63, 431 (2008), arXiv:arXiv:0709.0263]

Behnam Farid

Using the first-order series expansion of the function G(k;mu), in powers of mu' = mu - U/2, pertaining to the insulating ground state of a single-band Hubbard Hamiltonian at half-filling, Kokalj and Prelovsek have in a recent paper [Eur. Phys. J. B 63, 431 (2008), arXiv:arXiv:0709.0263] reported breakdown of the Luttinger theorem for the specific case where the lattice on which the Hubbard Hamiltonian is defined is a two-dimensional triangular lattice, for which the ground state is not invariant under particle-hole transformation. Here G(k;mu) is the single-particle Green function G(k;e) evaluated at e = mu, the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential corresponding to half-filling, and U the on-site interaction energy. In this Comment we demonstrate that unless mu' = 0 (to be strictly distinguished from mu' small but non-vanishing), any finite-order series expansion for G(k;mu) in powers of mu' in general falsely signals breakdown of the Luttinger theorem. The violation of this theorem as asserted by Kokalj and Prelovsek is therefore an artifact of their first-order calculation.

arXiv:0909.2887•Sep 16, 2009•0 citations

Comment on `On the Luttinger theorem concerning the number of particles in the ground states of systems of interacting fermions', arXiv:0711.0952v1, by B. Farid

Achim Rosch

In his preprint, arXiv:0711.0952v1, Behnam Farid argues that the Luttinger theorem is valid not only for a metal but also for a Mott insulator if the chemical potential is calculated by taking the limit of vanishing temperature at fixed particle density. In contrast, we have found in our recent paper (Eur. Phys. J. B 59, 495 (2007) or arXiv:cond-mat/0602656) on the basis of a controlled strong coupling expansion that the Luttinger theorem is violated in this limit for a particle-hole asymmetric two-band Mott insulator. In an extensive discussion of our result Farid argues that an arbitrarily weak breaking of particle-hole symmetry leads to a destruction of the Mott insulating state at half filling. In this comment we point out that this is not correct.

arXiv:0711.3093•Nov 20, 2007•0 citations
We analyze the original proof by Luttinger and Ward of the Luttinger theorem, according to which for uniform ground states of systems of (interacting) fermions, which may be metallic or insulating, the number of k points corresponding to non-negative values of G_s(k;mu) is equal to the total number of particles with spin index s in these ground states. Here G_s(k;mu) is the single-particle Green function of particles with spin index s at the chemical potential mu. For the cases where the two-body interaction potential is short-range, and in particular for lattice models, we explicitly demonstrate that this theorem is unconditionally valid, irrespective of the strength of the bare interaction potential. We arrive at this conclusion by amongst other things demonstrating that the perturbation series expansion for self-energy in terms of skeleton diagrams, as encountered in the proof of the Luttinger-Ward identity, is uniformly convergent for almost all momenta and energies. We further investigate the mechanisms underlying some reported instances of failure of the Luttinger theorem. With one exception, for all the cases considered in this paper, we show that the apparent failures of the Luttinger theorem can be attributed either to shortcomings of the employed single-particle Green functions or to misapplication of this theorem. The one exceptional case brings to light the possibility of a genuine failure of the Luttinger theorem for insulating ground states, which we show to be brought about by a false limit that in principle can be reached on taking the zero-temperature limit without the value of mu coinciding with the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential satisfying the equation of state at finite temperatures; no such ambiguity can arise for metallic states.
We consider a number of questions regarding the Luttinger-Ward functional and the many-body perturbation series expansion of the proper self-energy Σ(k;z)Σ(\mathbf{k};z)Σ(k;z) specific to uniform ground states (ensemble of states) of interacting fermion systems in terms of skeleton self-energy diagrams and the interacting Green function G(k;z)G(\mathbf{k};z)G(k;z). Utilising a link between the latter series expansion and the classical moment problem (of the Hamburger type), along with the associated continued-fraction expansion, we reaffirm our earlier observation (2007) that for lattice models of fermions interacting through short-range two-body potentials (i.e. for Hubbard-like models) this series is uniformly convergent for almost all wave vectors k\mathbf{k}k and complex energies zzz. The limit of this series is unique. We inquire into the reasons underlying the contrary observation by Kozik et al. (2015) regarding skeleton-diagrammatic perturbation series expansion of ΣΣΣ. In doing so, we make a number of observations of general interest. Chief amongst these, we observe that contrary to general belief thermal correlation functions calculated in the energy domain (i.e. over the set of the relevant Matsubara frequencies) are generally unreliable, in contrast to those calculated in the imaginary-time domain. In an appendix we present a symbolic computational formalism and short programs for singling out topologically distinct proper self-energy diagrams that are algebraically equivalent up to determinate multiplicative constants. This complements the work presented in our previous publication (2019). [Abridged abstract]
We reply to the Comment by Achim Rosch [1] (arXiv:0711.3093v1) who challenges our finding in Ref. [2] (arXiv:0711.0952v1) with regard to the validity of the Luttinger theorem in the cases of Mott insulating N-particle ground states (even) when the chemical potential used in applying this theorem coincides with the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential satisfying the equation of state corresponding to N particles. Rosch further argues that the strong-coupling expression for the single-particle Green function presented in Ref. [3] (arXiv:cond-mat/0602656v2) and analyzed in Ref. [2] does not imply destruction of the Mott insulating state at half-filling as a result of an arbitrary weak hopping contribution that breaks particle-hole symmetry and therefore suggests that our conclusion in Ref. [2] to the contrary were incorrect. Here we show the shortcomings of Rosch's arguments.
We show exactly with an SU(N) interacting model that even if the ambiguity associated with the placement of the chemical potential, μ, for a T=0 gapped system is removed by using the unique value μ(T→0), Luttinger's sum rule is violated even if the ground-state degeneracy is lifted by an infinitesimal hopping. The failure stems from the nonexistence of the Luttinger-Ward functional for a system in which the self-energy diverges. Since it is the existence of the Luttinger-Ward functional that is the basis for Luttinger's theorem which relates the charge density to sign changes of the single-particle Green function, no such theorem exists. Experimental data on the cuprates are presented which show a systematic deviation from the Luttinger count, implying a breakdown of the electron quasiparticle picture in strongly correlated electron matter.
Based solely on the analytical properties of the single-particle Green's function of fermions at finite temperatures, we show that the generalized Luttinger theorem inherently possesses topological aspects. The topological interpretation of the generalized Luttinger theorem can be introduced because (i) the Luttinger volume is represented as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function and, thus, (ii) the deviation of the theorem, expressed with a ratio between the interacting and noninteracting single-particle Green's functions, is also represented as the winding number of this ratio. The formulation based on the winding number naturally leads to two types of the generalized Luttinger theorem. Exploring two examples of single-band translationally invariant interacting electrons, i.e., simple metal and Mott insulator, we show that the first type falls into the original statement for Fermi liquids given by Luttinger, where poles of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential, while the second type corresponds to the extended one for nonmetallic cases with no Fermi surface such as insulators and superconductors generalized by Dzyaloshinskii, where zeros of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential. This formulation also allows us to derive a sufficient condition for the validity of the Luttinger theorem of the first type by applying the Rouche's theorem in complex analysis as an inequality. Moreover, we can rigorously prove in a nonperturbative manner, without assuming any detail of a microscopic Hamiltonian, that the generalized Luttinger theorem of both types is valid for generic interacting fermions as long as the particle-hole symmetry is preserved. Finally, we show that the winding number of the single-particle Green's function can also be associated with the distribution function of quasiparticles, and therefore the number of quasiparticles is equal to the Luttinger volume. This implies that the fundamental hypothesis of the Landau's Fermi-liquid theory, the number of fermions being equal to that of quasiparticles, is guaranteed if the Luttinger theorem is valid since the theorem states that the number of fermions is equal to the Luttinger volume. All these general statements are made possible because of the finding that the Luttinger volume is expressed as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function at finite temperatures, for which the complex analysis can be readily exploited.
Using the first-order series expansion of the function G(k;mu), in powers of mu' = mu - U/2, pertaining to the insulating ground state of a single-band Hubbard Hamiltonian at half-filling, Kokalj and Prelovsek have in a recent paper [Eur. Phys. J. B 63, 431 (2008), arXiv:arXiv:0709.0263] reported breakdown of the Luttinger theorem for the specific case where the lattice on which the Hubbard Hamiltonian is defined is a two-dimensional triangular lattice, for which the ground state is not invariant under particle-hole transformation. Here G(k;mu) is the single-particle Green function G(k;e) evaluated at e = mu, the zero-temperature limit of the chemical potential corresponding to half-filling, and U the on-site interaction energy. In this Comment we demonstrate that unless mu' = 0 (to be strictly distinguished from mu' small but non-vanishing), any finite-order series expansion for G(k;mu) in powers of mu' in general falsely signals breakdown of the Luttinger theorem. The violation of this theorem as asserted by Kokalj and Prelovsek is therefore an artifact of their first-order calculation.
In his preprint, arXiv:0711.0952v1, Behnam Farid argues that the Luttinger theorem is valid not only for a metal but also for a Mott insulator if the chemical potential is calculated by taking the limit of vanishing temperature at fixed particle density. In contrast, we have found in our recent paper (Eur. Phys. J. B 59, 495 (2007) or arXiv:cond-mat/0602656) on the basis of a controlled strong coupling expansion that the Luttinger theorem is violated in this limit for a particle-hole asymmetric two-band Mott insulator. In an extensive discussion of our result Farid argues that an arbitrarily weak breaking of particle-hole symmetry leads to a destruction of the Mott insulating state at half filling. In this comment we point out that this is not correct.