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arXiv:1609.07423 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Functional renormalization group approach for inhomogeneous one-dimensional Fermi systems with finite-ranged interactions

Lukas Weidinger, F. Bauer, Jan von Delft

Published Jan 13, 2017• 15 citations
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Abstract

We introduce an equilibrium formulation of the functional renormalization group (fRG) for inhomogeneous systems capable of dealing with spatially finite-ranged interactions. In the general third-order truncated form of fRG, the dependence of the two-particle vertex is described by $\mathcal{O}({N}^{4})$ independent variables, where $N$ is the dimension of the single-particle system. In a previous paper [Bauer et al., Phys. Rev. B 89, 045128 (2014)], the so-called coupled-ladder approximation (CLA) was introduced and shown to admit a consistent treatment for models with a purely onsite interaction, reducing the vertex to $\mathcal{O}({N}^{2})$ independent variables. In this work, we introduce an extended version of this scheme, called the extended coupled ladder approximation (eCLA), which includes a spatially extended feedback between the individual channels, measured by a feedback length $L$, using $\mathcal{O}({N}^{2}{L}^{2})$ independent variables for the vertex. We apply the eCLA in a static approximation and at zero temperature to three types of one-dimensional model systems, focusing on obtaining the linear response conductance. First, we study a model of a quantum point contact (QPC) with a parabolic barrier top and on-site interactions. In our setup, where the characteristic length ${l}_{x}$ of the QPC ranges between approximately 4--10 sites, eCLA achieves convergence once $L$ becomes comparable to ${l}_{x}$. It also turns out that the additional feedback stabilizes the fRG flow. This enables us, second, to study the geometric crossover between a QPC and a quantum dot, again for a one-dimensional model with on-site interactions. Third, the enlarged feedback also enables the treatment of a finite-ranged interaction extending over up to $L$ sites. Using a simple estimate for the form of such a finite-ranged interaction in a QPC with a parabolic barrier top, we study its effects on the conductance and the density. We find that for low densities and sufficiently large interaction ranges the conductance develops additional features, and the corresponding density shows some fluctuations that can be interpreted as Friedel oscillations arising from a renormalized barrier shape with a rather flat top and steep flanks.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.95.035122

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We introduce an equilibrium formulation of the functional renormalization group (fRG) for inhomogeneous systems capable of dealing with spatially finite-ranged interactions. In the general third-order truncated form of fRG, the dependence of the two-particle vertex is described by O(N4)\mathcal{O}({N}^{4})O(N4) independent variables, where NNN is the dimension of the single-particle system. In a previous paper [Bauer et al., Phys. Rev. B 89, 045128 (2014)], the so-called coupled-ladder approximation (CLA) was introduced and shown to admit a consistent treatment for models with a purely onsite interaction, reducing the vertex to O(N2)\mathcal{O}({N}^{2})O(N2) independent variables. In this work, we introduce an extended version of this scheme, called the extended coupled ladder approximation (eCLA), which includes a spatially extended feedback between the individual channels, measured by a feedback length LLL, using O(N2L2)\mathcal{O}({N}^{2}{L}^{2})O(N2L2) independent variables for the vertex. We apply the eCLA in a static approximation and at zero temperature to three types of one-dimensional model systems, focusing on obtaining the linear response conductance. First, we study a model of a quantum point contact (QPC) with a parabolic barrier top and on-site interactions. In our setup, where the characteristic length lx{l}_{x}lx​ of the QPC ranges between approximately 4--10 sites, eCLA achieves convergence once LLL becomes comparable to lx{l}_{x}lx​. It also turns out that the additional feedback stabilizes the fRG flow. This enables us, second, to study the geometric crossover between a QPC and a quantum dot, again for a one-dimensional model with on-site interactions. Third, the enlarged feedback also enables the treatment of a finite-ranged interaction extending over up to LLL sites. Using a simple estimate for the form of such a finite-ranged interaction in a QPC with a parabolic barrier top, we study its effects on the conductance and the density. We find that for low densities and sufficiently large interaction ranges the conductance develops additional features, and the corresponding density shows some fluctuations that can be interpreted as Friedel oscillations arising from a renormalized barrier shape with a rather flat top and steep flanks.
We combine two recently established methods, the extended Coupled-Ladder Approximation (eCLA) [Phys. Rev. B 95, 035122 (2017)] and a dynamic Keldysh functional Renormalization Group (fRG) approach for inhomogeneous systems [Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 196401 (2017)] to tackle the problem of finite-ranged interactions in quantum point contacts (QPCs) at finite temperature. Working in the Keldysh formalism, we develop an eCLA framework, proceeding from a static to a fully dynamic description. Finally, we apply our new Keldysh eCLA method to a QPC model with finite-ranged interactions and show evidence that an interaction range comparable to the length of the QPC might be an essential ingredient for the development of a pronounced 0.7-shoulder in the linear conductance. We also discuss problems arising from a violation of a Ward identity in second-order fRG.
The functional renormalization group (fRG) approach has the property that, in general, the flow equation for the two-particle vertex generates O(N4)\mathcal{O}({N}^{4})O(N4) independent variables, where NNN is the number of interacting states (e.g., sites of a real-space discretization). In order to include the flow equation for the two-particle vertex, one needs to make further approximations if NNN becomes too large. We present such an approximation scheme, called the coupled-ladder approximation, for the special case of an onsite interaction. Like the generic third-order-truncated fRG, the coupled-ladder approximation is exact to second order and is closely related to a simultaneous treatment of the random phase approximation in all channels, i.e., summing up parquet-type diagrams. The scheme is applied to a one-dimensional model describing a quantum point contact.
The progress in micro-fabrication technologies makes it possible to address individual, tailored, mesoscopic structures with sizes on a nanometer to micrometer scale. The transport properties of such quasi zero- or one-dimensional systems are considerably influenced by the electron-electron interaction. In theoretical studies this often becomes apparent in the emergence of divergences in a perturbative treatment of the interaction. A successful approach may then be given by renormalization group (RG) methods which are based on the idea of treating energy scales successively from high to low. In the functional RG (fRG) an exact infinite hierarchy of flow equations for multi-particle Green or vertex functions is derived, that allows for systematic approximations on different levels. In numerous studies the fRG has been found to be a powerful tool for the investigation of low dimensional Fermi systems. Usually it is formulated within Matsubara formalism which applies to a system in thermal equilibrium. A central topic of this thesis is the implementation of the fRG within Keldysh formalism, providing the possibility to treat equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations on equal footing. The resulting Keldysh fRG is used in this thesis to explore the transport properties of quantum wires with several barriers and of the single impurity Anderson model. The thesis starts with an introduction to Keldysh formalism and to related concepts. Then the structure of the Green and vertex functions of Keldysh formalism is investigated. This includes studying the consequences of causality, characterizing thermal equilibrium, and formulating corresponding relations for the multi-particle functions. After that, the implementation of the fRG within Keldysh formalism is presented in detail. The flow equations for the vertex functions are derived via their diagrammatic expansion. Two especially useful flow parameters are determined: one of them cuts off the imaginary frequencies that appear as poles of the Fermi functions of the reservoirs. The second flow parameter is an artificially enhanced reservoir hybridization; on one hand it has the advantage to preserve the fluctuation dissipation theorem in equilibrium even in frequency dependent approximations; on the other hand, its use can be more cumbersome. One of the models studied in this thesis is a tight-binding chain with nearest-neighbour interaction. At weak and intermediate interactions it belongs to the class of Luttinger liquids (LLs) whose low energy properties are characterized by power laws. The transport properties of LLs have been studied experimentally for example on carbon nanotubes. However, the presence of transport barriers at the contacts make the interpretation of the experimental data difficult. A theoretical treatment with the fRG permits a rather large flexibility to model the barrier configuration. In this thesis the fRG is first used in its equilibrium Matsubara implementation in order to analyse the temperature dependence of the linear conductance in the presence of two, three or four barriers. It is shown that temperature induces an averaging over quantum phases of propagation, leading to combinations of the power law exponents of the individual barriers. An experimental set-up that allows to verify this behaviour is proposed. In a second step the Keldysh version of the fRG is applied to the problem of transport through a quantum wire at finite bias voltage. For a wire with two high contact barriers it is found that the non-equilibrium particle distribution in the wire is responsible for the appearance of a two-fold power law in the density of states. An additional weakly attached probe lead can be used to make the two different power laws visible in the conductance. The second model which is analysed is the one of the single Anderson impurity, often considered as a paradigm for the investigation of strong local electron correlations. The latter become noticeable in the appearance of the Kondo scale, an energy exponentially small in the interaction strength, that characterizes the low energy physics of the model in the regime of spin fluctuations. On the basis of this model an advanced frequency dependent approximation for the Keldysh fRG is developed in this thesis. Such an approximation can account for subleading effects of the interaction, namely the fact that two-particle interactions can generate decay rates for single-particle states. The derivation of a consistent approximation scheme is presented, that turns out to yield a good description of the model at moderate interaction strength.
We investigate nonequilibrium properties of the single-impurity Anderson model by means of the functional renormalization group (fRG) within Keldysh formalism. We present how the level broadening $\ensuremath{\Gamma}/2$ can be used as flow parameter for the fRG. This choice preserves important aspects of the Fermi-liquid behavior that the model exhibits in case of particle-hole symmetry. An approximation scheme for the Keldysh fRG is developed which accounts for the frequency dependence of the two-particle vertex in a way similar but not equivalent to a recently published approximation to the equilibrium Matsubara fRG. Our method turns out to be a flexible tool for the study of weak to intermediate on-site interactions $U\ensuremath{\lesssim}3\ensuremath{\Gamma}$. In equilibrium we find excellent agreement with numerical RG results for the linear conductance at finite gate voltage, magnetic field, and temperature. In nonequilibrium, our results for the current agree well with time-dependent density-matrix RG. For the nonlinear conductance as function of the bias voltage, we propose reliable results at finite magnetic field and finite temperature. Furthermore, we demonstrate the exponentially small scale of the Kondo temperature to appear in the second-order derivative of the self-energy. We show that the approximation is, however, not able to reproduce the scaling of the effective mass at large interactions.
We study transport properties of quantum impurity systems using the functional renormalization group. The latter is an RG-based diagrammatic tool to treat Coulomb interactions in a fast and flexible way. Prior applications, which employed a simple first-order (Hartree-Fock-like) scheme to truncate the FRG flow equations within the Matsubara formalism, succeeded in accurately describing linear transport of various quantum dot geometries at zero temperature T=0. In a nutshell, advance in this Thesis is three-fold. First, we introduce a frequency-dependent second-order approximation in order to eventually compute finite-energy properties such as the conductance at T>0 (mainly focusing on the single impurity Anderson model). Second, a generalisation of the Hartree-Fock-like approach to Keldysh space allows for addressing the non-equilibrium steady-state dynamics of the interacting resonant level model. Third, we investigate the physics of a quantum dot Josephson junction as well as the charging of a single narrow level using the first-order scheme.
We derive functional renormalization group (fRG) schemes for Fermi systems which are based on the two-particle irreducible approach to the quantum many-body problem. In a first step, the cutoff is introduced in the non-interacting propagator as it is commonly done in fRG based on one-particle irreducible vertex functions. The most natural truncation of the resulting infinite hierarchy of flow equations is shown to be fully equivalent to self-consistent perturbation theory. An earlier suggested alternative truncation strategy is considered as well. In a second step, the cutoff is introduced in the two-particle interaction. Again two truncation procedures are investigated, one of which was derived before. In the latter, the mean-field solution of the many-body problem is considered as the starting point of the renormalization group flow. We compare the performance and the required numerical resources for solving the coupled flow equations for all the approximate schemes by applying them to the problem of the quantum anharmonic oscillator. In a functional integral representation, this model has a formal similarity to the quantum many-body problem. The perspectives for applying the derived two-particle irreducible fRG approaches to zero- and one-dimensional systems of correlated fermions are discussed.