arXiv:1707.04313 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B
Density matrix renormalization group study of a three-orbital Hubbard model with spin-orbit coupling in one dimension
Nitin Kaushal, J. Herbrych, Alberto Nocera, Gonzalo Álvarez, Adriana Moreo, Fernando Agustín Reboredo, Elbio R. Dagotto
Abstract
Using the density matrix renormalization group technique we study the effect of spin-orbit coupling on a three-orbital Hubbard model in the ${({t}_{2g})}^{4}$ sector and in one dimension. Fixing the Hund coupling to a robust value compatible with some multiorbital materials, we present the phase diagram varying the Hubbard $U$ and spin-orbit coupling $\ensuremath{\lambda}$, at zero temperature. Our results are shown to be qualitatively similar to those recently reported using the dynamical mean-field theory in higher dimensions, providing a robust basis to approximate many-body techniques. Among many results, we observe an interesting transition from an orbital-selective Mott phase to an excitonic insulator with increasing $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ at intermediate $U$. In the strong $U$ coupling limit, we find a nonmagnetic insulator with an effective angular momentum $\ensuremath{\langle}{({\mathbf{J}}^{\mathrm{eff}})}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}\ensuremath{\ne}0$ near the excitonic phase, smoothly connected to the $\ensuremath{\langle}{({\mathbf{J}}^{\mathrm{eff}})}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}=0$ regime. We also provide a list of quasi-one-dimensional materials where the physics discussed in this paper could be realized.