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arXiv:2504.11523

Instability of the critical Ngai's coupling and two-boson mechanism in metals

Nguyen, Phu, Vladyslav Kozii

Published Apr 15, 2025• 0 citations
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Abstract

We study the properties of a Fermi liquid coupled to a quantum critical boson via the two-boson interaction known as Ngai's coupling. We find that the original quantum critical point is generally unstable, resulting in a finite-momentum spatially modulated state unless two conditions are satisfied: (i) the critical boson is polar and transverse, and (ii) the ratio of the Fermi velocity to the transverse-boson velocity is sufficiently large. If these conditions hold and the uniform state remains stable, we demonstrate that the system enters a strong-coupling regime below a certain energy scale. In this regime, we discuss a self-consistent solution at criticality in two-dimensional systems and show that the critical boson field develops a nontrivial anomalous dimension, $η=1/2$. Our findings highlight the significant role of two-boson coupling in critical theories, challenging the conventional view that its effects are subdominant to linear coupling.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2504.11523

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We study the properties of a Fermi liquid coupled to a quantum critical boson via the two-boson interaction known as Ngai's coupling. We find that the original quantum critical point is generally unstable, resulting in a finite-momentum spatially modulated state unless two conditions are satisfied: (i) the critical boson is polar and transverse, and (ii) the ratio of the Fermi velocity to the transverse-boson velocity is sufficiently large. If these conditions hold and the uniform state remains stable, we demonstrate that the system enters a strong-coupling regime below a certain energy scale. In this regime, we discuss a self-consistent solution at criticality in two-dimensional systems and show that the critical boson field develops a nontrivial anomalous dimension, η=1/2η=1/2η=1/2. Our findings highlight the significant role of two-boson coupling in critical theories, challenging the conventional view that its effects are subdominant to linear coupling.
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Quantum criticality plays a central role in understanding non-Fermi liquid behavior and unconventional superconductivity in strongly correlated systems. In this review, we explore the quantum critical Eliashberg theory, which extends conventional Eliashberg approaches to non-Fermi liquid regimes governed by critical fluctuations. We discuss the theoretical foundations and recent developments in the field, focusing on the interplay between electronic interactions and bosonic modes near quantum phase transitions as described in the Yukawa-coupled version of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model. Special emphasis is placed on the breakdown of quasiparticle coherence, anomalous scaling behaviour, Cooper pairing without quasiparticles, and emergent universality in different physical settings. Starting from a zero-dimensional "quantum-dot" model, we discuss the generalization to higher spatial dimensions and demonstrate the connection between quantum-critical Eliashberg theory and holographic superconductivity. Our analysis provides a perspective on how quantum criticality shapes the dynamics of strongly correlated metals and superconductors.
When a 2D superconductor is subjected to a strong in-plane magnetic field, Zeeman polarization of the Fermi surface can give rise to inhomogeneous FFLO order with a spatially modulated gap. Further increase of the magnetic field eventually drives the system into a normal metal state. Here, we perform a renormalization group analysis of this quantum phase transition, starting from an appropriate low-energy theory recently introduced in Phys. Rev. B 93, 085112 (2016). We compute one-loop flow equations within the controlled dimensional regularization scheme with fixed dimension of Fermi surface, expanding in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=5/2\ensuremath{-}d$. We find a new stable non-Fermi-liquid fixed point and discuss its critical properties. One of the most interesting aspects of the FFLO non-Fermi-liquid scenario is that the quantum critical point is potentially naked, with the scaling regime observable down to arbitrary low temperatures. In order to study this possibility, we perform a general analysis of competing instabilities, which suggests that only charge density wave order is enhanced in the vicinity of the quantum critical point.
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