Abstract We introduce a variational state for one-dimensional two-orbital Hubbard models that intuitively explains the recent computational discovery of pairing in these systems when hole doped. Our ansatz is an optimized linear superposition of Affleck–Kennedy–Lieb–Tasaki valence-bond states, rendering the combination a valence-bond liquid dubbed orbital resonant valence bond. We show that the undoped (one-electron/orbital) quantum state of two sites coupled into a global spin singlet is exactly written employing only spin-1/2 singlets linking orbitals at nearest-neighbor sites. Generalizing to longer chains defines our variational state visualized geometrically expressing our chain as a two-leg ladder, with one orbital per leg. As in Anderson’s resonating valence-bond state, our undoped variational state contains preformed singlet pairs that via doping become mobile, leading to superconductivity. Doped real materials with one-dimensional substructures, two near-degenerate orbitals, and intermediate Hubbard U/W strengths—W the carrier’s bandwidth—could realize spin-singlet pairing if on-site anisotropies are small. If these anisotropies are robust, spin-triplet pairing emerges.
Abstract We introduce a variational state for one-dimensional two-orbital Hubbard models that intuitively explains the recent computational discovery of pairing in these systems when hole doped. Our ansatz is an optimized linear superposition of Affleck–Kennedy–Lieb–Tasaki valence-bond states, rendering the combination a valence-bond liquid dubbed orbital resonant valence bond. We show that the undoped (one-electron/orbital) quantum state of two sites coupled into a global spin singlet is exactly written employing only spin-1/2 singlets linking orbitals at nearest-neighbor sites. Generalizing to longer chains defines our variational state visualized geometrically expressing our chain as a two-leg ladder, with one orbital per leg. As in Anderson’s resonating valence-bond state, our undoped variational state contains preformed singlet pairs that via doping become mobile, leading to superconductivity. Doped real materials with one-dimensional substructures, two near-degenerate orbitals, and intermediate Hubbard U/W strengths—W the carrier’s bandwidth—could realize spin-singlet pairing if on-site anisotropies are small. If these anisotropies are robust, spin-triplet pairing emerges.
Using the Density Matrix Renormalization Group and two-leg ladders, we investigate an electronic two-orbital Hubbard model including plaquette-diagonal hopping amplitudes. Our goal is to search for regimes where charges added to the undoped state form pairs, presumably a precursor of a superconducting state. For the electronic density $\ensuremath{\rho}=2$, i.e., the undoped limit, our investigations show a robust $(\ensuremath{\pi},0)$ antiferromagnetic ground state, as in previous investigations. Doping away from $\ensuremath{\rho}=2$ and for large values of the Hund coupling J, a ferromagnetic region is found to be stable. Moreover, when the interorbital on-site Hubbard repulsion is smaller than the Hund coupling, i.e., for ${U}^{\ensuremath{'}}<J$ in the standard notation of multiorbital Hubbard models, our results indicate the coexistence of pairing tendencies and ferromagnetism close to $\ensuremath{\rho}=2$. These results are compatible with previous investigations using one-dimensional systems. Although further research is needed to clarify if the range of couplings used here is of relevance for real materials, such as superconducting heavy fermions or pnictides, our theoretical results address a possible mechanism for pairing that may be active in the presence of short-range ferromagnetic fluctuations.
The recent discovery of superconductivity under high pressure in the ladder compound BaFe2S3 has opened a new field of research in iron-based superconductors with focus on quasi-one-dimensional geometries. In this publication, using the density matrix renormalization group technique, we study a two-orbital Hubbard model defined in one-dimensional chains. Our main result is the presence of hole binding tendencies at intermediate Hubbard U repulsion and robust Hund coupling JH/U=0.25. Binding does not occur either in weak coupling or at very strong coupling. The pair-pair correlations that are dominant near half-filling, or of similar strength as the charge and spin correlation channels, involve hole-pair operators that are spin singlets, use nearest-neighbor sites, and employ different orbitals for each hole. The Hund coupling strength, presence of robust magnetic moments, and antiferromagnetic correlations among them are important for the binding tendencies found here.
We investigate the pairing tendencies in the hole-doped Haldane spin-1 chain. To allow for doping, we extend the original spin chain Hamiltonian into a fermionic model involving a two-orbital Hubbard chain at intermediate or strong repulsive interaction strengths U and for degenerate orbitals. At half filling and large U, the ferromagnetic Hund's coupling, JH, generates effective spin-1 moments, with antiferromagnetic correlations between sites. Using large-scale density matrix renormalization group calculations, we accurately study the system's behavior under light hole-doping. For U=1.6 in units of the noninteracting bandwidth and for ${J}_{\mathrm{H}}/U\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.275$, we find that singlet pairing dominates the long-distance physics, establishing this system as a promising platform for repulsively mediated superconductivity. We provide concrete examples of materials that could realize the physics described here. We also provide evidence that the system approaches a Luther-Emery liquid state at large system sizes, reminiscent of the behavior of doped one-orbital two-leg ladders at weak coupling, which also have superconducting tendencies. The numerically calculated central charge approaches one in the thermodynamic limit, indicating a single gapless mode as is expected for the Luther-Emery state. Exponents characterizing the power-law decays of singlet pair-pair and charge density-density correlations are determined, and found to approximately satisfy the Luther-Emery identity.
The one-dimensional Hubbard model with first- and second-neighbor hopping, t1 and t2, with t2≊t1/(2)1/2 and large repulsion U, is proposed as a testing ground of Anderson’s idea that the existence of an resonating valence bond ground state in the half-filled-band case will show superconductivity when a finite concentration of holes is introduced. Interestingly, our preliminary calculations in the U=∞ limit for small chains have revealed a new mechanism for enhancement of singlet pairing: We find that for t2<0 the ground state is a singlet, and, for t2<0 and ‖t2/t1‖≪1, the nearest-neighbor extended-singlet-pairing correlation function becomes enhanced appreciably as the temperature decreases below t2.
Valence bond (VB) states as the formation mechanism of Cooper pairs, eventually leading to high-temperature superconductivity, remain a controversial topic. Although various VB-like states find variational relevance in the description of specific spin models and quantum spin liquids, in the realm of many-body fermionic Hamiltonians, the evidence for such states as ground states wave functions remains elusive, challenging the valence-bond pairing mechanism. Here, we present evidence of a VB ground state with pairing tendencies, particularly at finite doping. We achieved this for the generic two-orbital Hubbard model in low dimension, where the VB states can be associated with the presence of the topological order manifested by edge states.
We report the numerical discovery of a Luther-Emery liquid with pair-density-wave (PDW) correlations from doping either (i) a spin-one Haldane chain or (ii) a two-leg ladder in the rung-singlet phase in which the doped charges occupy a single leg. We model these systems using a generalized Kondo model. The itinerant electrons are correlated and described by the $t\text{\ensuremath{-}}J$ model, and are further coupled to a spin-1/2 Heisenberg model through the Kondo coupling JK. When the density of electrons x is one, the Mott insulator is in a Haldane phase or in a rung-singlet phase depending on whether JK is negative or positive. Upon doping, a pair-density-wave with $\mathbf{Q}=\ensuremath{\pi}$ can emerge for both signs of JK. In the ${J}_{K}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\infty}$ limit, the model reduces to the recently proposed type II $t\ensuremath{-}J$ model. We also identify a composite order parameter for the superconductor, which can be understood as a Cooper pair formed by two nearby fermionic spin-polarons. Our model and the predicted PDW phase can be experimentally realized by doping S=1 chains formed by Ni2+ in a solid-state system or a two-leg ladder of fermionic cold atoms with a potential bias between legs, which preferentially dopes carriers into a single leg. Long-range order of the PDW can be achieved in quasi-one-dimensional system with finite interwire coupling.