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arXiv:1110.6103 · Physical Review B

Renormalization group analysis of a spin-1 Kondo dot: Nonequilibrium transport and relaxation dynamics

Christoph B. M. Hörig, Dirk Schuricht, Sabine Andergassen

Published Feb 16, 2012• 6 citations
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Abstract

We study nonequilibrium transport through a spin-1 Kondo dot in a local magnetic field. To this end we perform a two-loop renormalization group analysis in the weak-coupling regime yielding analytic results for (i) the renormalized magnetic field and the $g$ factor, (ii) the time evolution of observables and the relevant decay rates, (iii) the magnetization and anisotropy, and (iv) the current and differential conductance in the stationary state. In particular, we find that compared to a spin-1/2 Kondo dot there exist three additional decay rates resulting in an enhanced broadening of the logarithmic features observed in stationary quantities. Additionally, we study the effect of anisotropic couplings between reservoir and impurity spin.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.85.054418

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We study nonequilibrium transport through a spin-1 Kondo dot in a local magnetic field. To this end we perform a two-loop renormalization group analysis in the weak-coupling regime yielding analytic results for (i) the renormalized magnetic field and the ggg factor, (ii) the time evolution of observables and the relevant decay rates, (iii) the magnetization and anisotropy, and (iv) the current and differential conductance in the stationary state. In particular, we find that compared to a spin-1/2 Kondo dot there exist three additional decay rates resulting in an enhanced broadening of the logarithmic features observed in stationary quantities. Additionally, we study the effect of anisotropic couplings between reservoir and impurity spin.
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We apply a recently developed nonequilibrium real-time renormalization group (RG) method in frequency space to describe nonlinear quantum transport through a small fermionic quantum system coupled weakly to several reservoirs via spin and/or orbital fluctuations. Within a weak-coupling two-loop analysis, we derive analytic formulas for the nonlinear conductance and the kernel determining the time evolution of the reduced density matrix. A consistent formalism is presented how the RG flow is cut off by relaxation and dephasing rates. We apply the general formalism to the nonequilibrium anisotropic Kondo model at finite magnetic field. We consider the weak-coupling regime, where the maximum of voltage and bare magnetic field is larger than the Kondo temperature. In this regime, we calculate the nonlinear conductance, the magnetic susceptibility, the renormalized spin relaxation and dephasing rates, and the renormalized ggg factor. All quantities are considered up to the first logarithmic correction beyond leading order at resonance. Up to a redefinition of the Kondo temperature, we confirm previous results for the conductance and the magnetic susceptibility in the isotropic case. In addition, we present a consistent calculation of the resonant line shapes, including the determination whether the spin relaxation or dephasing rate cuts off the logarithmic divergence. Furthermore, we calculate quantities characterizing the exponential decay of the time evolution of the magnetization. In contrast to the conductance, we find that the derivative of the spin relaxation (dephasing) rate with respect to the magnetic field is logarithmically enhanced (suppressed) for voltages smaller (larger) than the renormalized magnetic field, and that the logarithmic divergence is cut off by the opposite rate. The renormalized ggg factor is predicted to show a symmetric logarithmic suppression at resonance, which is cut off by the spin relaxation rate. We propose a three-terminal setup to measure the suppression at resonance. For all quantities, we analyze also the anisotropic case and find additional nonequilibrium effects at resonance.
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We calculate the dynamical spin-spin correlation functions of a Kondo dot coupled to two noninteracting leads held at different chemical potentials. To this end we generalize a recently developed real-time renormalization group (RG) method in frequency space [H. Schoeller, Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 168, 179 (2009)] to allow the calculation of dynamical correlation functions of arbitrary dot operators in systems describing spin and/or orbital fluctuations. The resulting two-loop RG equations are analytically solved in the weak-coupling regime. This implies that the method can be applied provided either the voltage VVV through the dot or the external magnetic field h0{h}_{0}h0​ are sufficiently large, $\mathrm{max}{V,{h}_{0}}\ensuremath{\gg}{T}_{K}$, where the Kondo temperature TK{T}_{K}TK​ is the scale where the system enters the strong-coupling regime. Explicitly, we calculate the longitudinal and transverse spin-spin correlation and response functions as well as the resulting fluctuation-dissipation ratios. The correlation functions in real-frequency space can be calculated in Matsubara space without the need of any analytical continuation. We obtain analytic results for the line shape, the small- and large-frequency limits, and several other features like the height and width of the peak in the transverse susceptibility at $\ensuremath{\Omega}\ensuremath{\approx}\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{h}$, where $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{h}$ denotes the renormalized magnetic field. Furthermore, we discuss how the developed method can be generalized to calculate dynamical correlation functions of other operators involving reservoir degrees of freedom as well.
Correlations are a central ingredient of modern condensed matter physics. With the advent of mesoscopic physics, it became possible to study correlated systems in non-equilibrium situations, which can be reached by e.g. driving a constant current through a quantum dot. A basic question is how correlations on the one hand and a non-equilibrium current on the other hand influence each other. Here this interplay is studied for the model system of a quantum dot in the Kondo regime using the real time renormalization group (RTRG) method. This method is a functional renormalization group (RG) method allowing a non-perturbative description of correlated systems in non-equilibrium. For the Kondo quantum dot the method is generalized to the case of double vertices. The RTRG method not only provides equations for the calculation of the renormalized coupling between the quantum dot spin and the reservoir electrons, but also equations for the calculation of the non-equilibrium decoherence rate and the non-equilibrium current.The RG equations are derived to second order. This approximation is expected to be valid as long as the quantum dot does not enter the strong coupling regime, i.e. the effective coupling strength between the quantum dot spin and the electrons does not become too large. It is found that this is the case if the bias voltage applied to the dot or the temperature is much larger than the Kondo temperature.It is shown that the RG equations lead to coupling functions depending on the energy of the incident and the scattered electron. This dependence is simplified to the dependence on the average energy of the incident and the scattered electron in the weak coupling regime.A closer inspection of the RG equations for the couplings shows that they not only contain terms leading to a logarithmic increase of the coupling strength but also subleading terms which are unimportant in the weak coupling regime. The RG equations are solved analytically for the case where the subleading terms are neglected. It is found that the coupling functions develop resonances at energies associated with the chemical potentials of the reservoirs. The height of these resonances is determined by the decoherence rate. However, for bias voltages much larger than the Kondo temperature these resonances do not affect the conductance for a two terminal setup, so the conductance does not provide a measure for the decoherence rate in this case. It is found that the conductance for the two terminal setup is a universal function of voltage/Kondo temperature and temperature/Kondo temperature in the weak coupling regime. This function is calculated analytically in the limits of vanishing voltage or temperature. Furthermore, it is found that for zero temperature the decoherence rate is proportional to the non-equilibrium current flowing through the system. This supports the physical picture that a non-equilibrium current is associated with a decoherence rate, which cuts the logarithmic scaling of the coupling strength.Finally, the RG equations are solved numerically for zero temperature including the subleading corrections found before. As expected, the subleading corrections have no impact on the decoherence rate and the conductance in the weak coupling regime. On the other hand, it is found that they lead to strong deviations from the results of the analytic leading logarithmic approximation if the bias voltage approaches the Kondo temperature. Generally, it is found that the subleading corrections lead to a saturation of the decoherence rate and the conductance to some finite value. However, for the numerical solution a numerical regularization parameter has to be introduced. It turns out that the saturation value found depends on its value, so no statements on the precise value of the decoherence rate and the current can be made in this regime.
Motivated by recent experiments on molecular quantum dots we investigate the relaxation of pure spin states when coupled to metallic leads. Under suitable conditions these systems are well described by a ferromagnetic Kondo model. Using two recently developed theoretical approaches, the time-dependent numerical renormalization group and an extended flow equation method, we calculate the real-time evolution of a Kondo spin into its partially screened steady state. We obtain exact analytical results which agree well with numerical implementations of both methods. Analytical expressions for the steady state magnetization and the dependence of the long-time relaxation on microscopic parameters are established. We find the long-time relaxation process to be much faster in the regime of anisotropic Kondo couplings. The steady state magnetization is found to deviate significantly from its thermal equilibrium value.