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arXiv:2601.15007

Anomalous Quantum Criticality at a Continuous Metal-Insulator Transition

M. S. Laad, Prosenjit Haldar

Published Jan 21, 2026• 0 citations
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Abstract

The Falicov-Kimball model (FKM) is long known to be the simplest model of correlated fermions exhibiting a novel Mott-like quantum critical point (QCP) assocaited with a {\it continuous} MIT in dimensions $D \geq 3$. It is also known to be isomorphic to an {\it annealed} binary-alloy disorder model. Notwithstanding extensive numerical studies for the FKM, analytic insight into the microscopic processes spawning novel Mott-like quantum criticality is scarce. Here, we develop a fully analytic theory for the Mott-like quantum criticality in the FKM on a hierarchical Cayley tree (Bethe lattice) by utilizing a single input from a 2-site cluster-dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT). We find that density fluctuation modes acquire anomalous dimensions, originating from infra-red power-law singular cluster self-energies. Interestingly, we uncover, at $T=0$, that this {\it sub-diffusive} metal with glassy dynamics separating a weakly ergodic metal from a non-ergodic insulator shrinks to a single point, namely the Mott-like QCP, at least on the Bethe lattice. We detail the consequences of this anomalous quantum criticality for a range of thermal and dynamical responses in a variety of physical systems that can be effectively modelled by the FKM.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2601.15007

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The Falicov-Kimball model (FKM) is long known to be the simplest model of correlated fermions exhibiting a novel Mott-like quantum critical point (QCP) assocaited with a {\it continuous} MIT in dimensions D≥3D \geq 3D≥3. It is also known to be isomorphic to an {\it annealed} binary-alloy disorder model. Notwithstanding extensive numerical studies for the FKM, analytic insight into the microscopic processes spawning novel Mott-like quantum criticality is scarce. Here, we develop a fully analytic theory for the Mott-like quantum criticality in the FKM on a hierarchical Cayley tree (Bethe lattice) by utilizing a single input from a 2-site cluster-dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT). We find that density fluctuation modes acquire anomalous dimensions, originating from infra-red power-law singular cluster self-energies. Interestingly, we uncover, at T=0T=0T=0, that this {\it sub-diffusive} metal with glassy dynamics separating a weakly ergodic metal from a non-ergodic insulator shrinks to a single point, namely the Mott-like QCP, at least on the Bethe lattice. We detail the consequences of this anomalous quantum criticality for a range of thermal and dynamical responses in a variety of physical systems that can be effectively modelled by the FKM.
The celebrated Wiedemann-Franz (WF) law is believed to be robust in metals as long as interactions between electrons preserve their fermion-quasiparticle character. We study thermal transport and the fate of the WF law close to a continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) in the Falicov-Kimball model (FKM) using cluster-dynamical mean-field theory (CDMFT). Surprisingly, as for electrical transport, we find robust and novel quantum critical scaling in thermal transport across the MIT. We unearth the deeper reasons for these novel findings in terms of (i) the specific structure of energy-current correlations for the FKM and (ii) the microscopic electronic processes which facilitate energy transport while simultaneously blocking charge transport close to the MIT. However, within (C)DMFT, we also find that the WF law survives at $T\ensuremath{\longrightarrow}0$ in the incoherent metal right up to the MIT, even in absence of Landau quasiparticles.
In contrast to the first-order correlation-driven Mott metal-insulator transition, continuous disorder-driven transitions are intrinsically quantum critical. Here, we investigate transport quantum criticality in the Falicov-Kimball model, a representative of the latter class in the strong disorder category. Employing cluster-dynamical mean-field theory, we find clear and anomalous quantum critical scaling behavior manifesting as perfect mirror symmetry of scaling curves on both sides of the MIT. Surprisingly, we find that the beta function $\ensuremath{\beta}(g)$ scales as log(g)log(g)log(g) deep into the bad-metallic phase as well, providing a sound unified basis for these findings. We argue that such strong localization quantum criticality may manifest in real three-dimensional systems where disorder effects are more important than electron-electron interactions.
It is long known that the best single-site coherent potential approximation falls short of describing Anderson localization. Here, we study a binary alloy disorder [or equivalently, a spinless Falicov-Kimball (FK)] model and construct a dominantly analytic cluster extension that treats intracluster (1/d,d=(1/d,\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}d=(1/d,d= spatial dimension) correlations exactly. We find that, in general, the irreducible two-particle vertex exhibits clear nonanalyticities before the band splitting transition of the Hubbard type occurs, signaling onset of an unusual type of localization at strong coupling. Using time-dependent response to a sudden local quench as a diagnostic, we find that the long-time wave-function overlap changes from a power-law to an anomalous form at strong coupling, lending additional support to this idea. Our results also imply such ``strong'' localization in the equivalent FK model, the simplest interacting fermion system.
A wide range of disordered materials, including disordered correlated systems, show universal dielectric response (UDR), followed by a superlinear power-law increase in their optical responses over exceptionally broad frequency regimes. While extensively used in various contexts over the years, the microscopics underpinning UDR remains controversial. Here, we investigate the optical response of the simplest model of correlated fermions, the Falicov-Kimball model, across the continuous metal-insulator transition (MIT) and analyze the associated quantum criticality in detail using cluster extension of dynamical mean-field theory. Surprisingly, we find that UDR naturally emerges in the quantum critical region associated with the continuous MIT. We tie the emergence of these novel features to a many-body orthogonality catastrophe accompanying the onset of strongly correlated electronic glassy dynamics close to the MIT, providing a microscopic realization of Jonscher's time-honored proposal as well as a rationale for similarities in optical responses between correlated electronic matter and canonical glass formers.
Local quantum criticality in itinerant fermion systems has been extensively investigated through the soft-gap Anderson impurity model, wherein a localized, correlated impurity hybridizes with a broad conduction band with a singular, ${|\ensuremath{\omega}|}^{r}$, density of states. However, lattice models hosting quantum critical points (QCPs) do not appear to have such a spectrum emerging at the QCP. In this work, we report the emergence of such a singular form of the density of states in a three-orbital lattice model, within dynamical mean field theory, precisely at a quantum critical point, separating a gapless, Fermi liquid (FL) metallic phase from a gapped, Mott insulating phase. A temperature-dependent exponent, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$, defined using the corresponding Matsubara self-energy, is found to vary from +1+1+1 deep in the FL regime, to $\ensuremath{-}1$ in the Mott insulator regime. Interestingly, we find that $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ becomes temperature-independent, and hence isosbestic, precisely at the QCP. The isosbestic exponent is shown to lead to an emergent soft-gap spectrum, ${|\ensuremath{\omega}|}^{r}$, at the QCP, where $r=|{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{iso}}|$. We discuss the implications of our findings for non-Fermi-liquid behavior in the quantum critical region of the phase diagram.
The ground-state phase diagrams of the Falicov-Kimball model with local disorder are derived within the dynamical mean-field theory and using the geometrically averaged (``typical'') local density of states. Correlated metal, Mott insulator, and Anderson insulator phases are identified. The metal-insulator transitions are found to be continuous. The interaction and disorder compete with each other stabilizing the metallic phase against the occurring one of the insulators. The Mott and Anderson insulators are found to be continuously connected.