Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2610.04663

Does a pole in the self-energy imply a violation of the Luttinger theorem?

Ar. Abanov, Andrey V. Chubukov

Published Oct 3, 2026• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Luttinger theorem relates Fermi surface volume to electron density per spin $n$. It holds in an arbitrary Fermi liquid but is widely believed to break when a fermionic self-energy has a pole. We show that this is not necessarily the case. As an example, we consider a fermionic system consisting of two gapped bands, originating from a self-energy $Σ(ω, \mathbf{k})$ with a pole, and a narrow residual quasiparticle band crossing $ω=0$, with a small residue $Z \ll 1$ (a residual Fermi liquid). We consider Model I, in which $Z$ also renormalizes quasiparticle bandwidth $W$ to $ZW$ and Model II, in which $W$ remains unrenormalized. The Green's function for such a system $G(ω, \mathbf{k})$ contains two zeros and three poles --- one from the quasiparticle band and two from the gapped bands. Yet, we show that in Model I, the Luttinger-Ward analysis is fully applicable for any $Z >0$, and the results are exactly the same as if the gapped bands did not exist. For Model II, the Luttinger-Ward analysis recovers once $Z$ exceeds some critical value, which depends on fermionic density.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2610.04663

Related papers

Luttinger's theorem in the presence of Luttinger surfaces

Jan Skolimowski, Michele Fabrizio

Breakdown of Landau's hypothesis of adiabatic continuation from noninteracting to fully interacting electrons is commonly believed to bring about a violation of Luttinger's theorem. Here, we elucidate what may go wrong in the proof of Luttinger's theorem. The analysis provides a simple way to correct Luttinger's expression of the electron number in single-band models where perturbation theory breaks down through the birth of a Luttinger surface without symmetry breaking. In those cases, we find that the Fermi volume only accounts for the doping away from half-filling. In the hypothetical circumstance of a non-symmetry-breaking Mott insulator with a Luttinger surface, our analysis predicts the noteworthy existence of quasiparticles whose Fermi surface is just the Luttinger one. Therefore, those quasiparticles can be legitimately regarded as spinons, and the Mott insulator with a Luttinger surface as realization of a spin-liquid insulator.

arXiv:2202.00426•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Jul 8, 2022•32 citations

Topological interpretation of the Luttinger theorem

Kazuhiro Seki, Seiji Yunoki

Based solely on the analytical properties of the single-particle Green's function of fermions at finite temperatures, we show that the generalized Luttinger theorem inherently possesses topological aspects. The topological interpretation of the generalized Luttinger theorem can be introduced because (i) the Luttinger volume is represented as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function and, thus, (ii) the deviation of the theorem, expressed with a ratio between the interacting and noninteracting single-particle Green's functions, is also represented as the winding number of this ratio. The formulation based on the winding number naturally leads to two types of the generalized Luttinger theorem. Exploring two examples of single-band translationally invariant interacting electrons, i.e., simple metal and Mott insulator, we show that the first type falls into the original statement for Fermi liquids given by Luttinger, where poles of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential, while the second type corresponds to the extended one for nonmetallic cases with no Fermi surface such as insulators and superconductors generalized by Dzyaloshinskii, where zeros of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential. This formulation also allows us to derive a sufficient condition for the validity of the Luttinger theorem of the first type by applying the Rouche's theorem in complex analysis as an inequality. Moreover, we can rigorously prove in a nonperturbative manner, without assuming any detail of a microscopic Hamiltonian, that the generalized Luttinger theorem of both types is valid for generic interacting fermions as long as the particle-hole symmetry is preserved. Finally, we show that the winding number of the single-particle Green's function can also be associated with the distribution function of quasiparticles, and therefore the number of quasiparticles is equal to the Luttinger volume. This implies that the fundamental hypothesis of the Landau's Fermi-liquid theory, the number of fermions being equal to that of quasiparticles, is guaranteed if the Luttinger theorem is valid since the theorem states that the number of fermions is equal to the Luttinger volume. All these general statements are made possible because of the finding that the Luttinger volume is expressed as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function at finite temperatures, for which the complex analysis can be readily exploited.

arXiv:1708.00986•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Aug 18, 2017•45 citations

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the validity of Luttinger’s theorem

Joshuah T. Heath, Kevin S Bedell

Abstract Luttinger’s theorem is a major result in many-body physics that states the volume of the Fermi surface is directly proportional to the particle density. In its ‘hard’ form, Luttinger’s theorem implies that the Fermi volume is invariant with respect to interactions (as opposed to a ‘soft’ Luttinger’s theorem, where this invariance is lost). Despite it is simplicity, the conditions on the fermionic self energy under which Luttinger’s theorem is valid remains a matter of debate, with possible requirements for its validity ranging from particle-hole symmetry to analyticity about the Fermi surface. In this paper, we propose the minimal requirements for the application of a hard Luttinger’s theorem to a generic fermionic system of arbitrary interaction strength by invoking the Atiyah–Singer index theorem to quantify the topologically-robust behavior of a generalized Fermi surface. We show that the applicability of a hard Luttinger’s theorem in a D-dimensional system is directly dependent on the existence of a (D − 1)-dimensional manifold of gapless chiral excitations at the Fermi level, regardless of whether the system exhibits Luttinger or Fermi surfaces (i.e., manifolds of zeroes of the Green’s function and inverse Green’s function, respectively). The exact form of the self-energy which guarantees validity of a hard Luttinger’s theorem is derived, and agreement with current experiments, numerics, and theories are discussed.

arXiv:1906.00929•New Journal of Physics•Apr 14, 2020•26 citations

Absence of Luttinger’s Theorem due to Zeros in the Single-Particle Green Function

Kiaran B. Dave, Philip Phillips, C. L. Kane

We show exactly with an SU(N) interacting model that even if the ambiguity associated with the placement of the chemical potential, μ, for a T=0 gapped system is removed by using the unique value μ(T→0), Luttinger's sum rule is violated even if the ground-state degeneracy is lifted by an infinitesimal hopping. The failure stems from the nonexistence of the Luttinger-Ward functional for a system in which the self-energy diverges. Since it is the existence of the Luttinger-Ward functional that is the basis for Luttinger's theorem which relates the charge density to sign changes of the single-particle Green function, no such theorem exists. Experimental data on the cuprates are presented which show a systematic deviation from the Luttinger count, implying a breakdown of the electron quasiparticle picture in strongly correlated electron matter.

arXiv:1207.4201•Physical Review Letters•Feb 28, 2013•69 citations

Violation of Luttinger's theorem in one-dimensional interacting fermions

Meng Gao, Yin Zhong

Using the density matrix renormalization group method, we systematically investigate the evolution of the Luttinger integral in the one-dimensional generalized $t$-$V$ model as a function of filling and interaction strength, and identify three representative phases. In the weak-coupling regime, the zero-frequency Green's function exhibits a branch-cut structure at the Fermi momentum, and the Luttinger integral accurately reflects the particle density, indicating that the Luttinger theorem holds. As the interaction increases, the spectral weight near the Fermi momentum is gradually suppressed. Interestingly, in the strong coupling regime near half-filling, this singularity is progressively destroyed, accompanied by the emergence of momentum-space zeros in the real part of the Green's function, leading to a novel non-Fermi liquid metallic phase beyond the classic Luttinger liquid paradigm, where the Luttinger surface is no longer defined by a single singularity. While finite spectral weight remains at the original Fermi momentum, the singularity gradually diminishes. Meanwhile, zeros with negligible spectral weight appear away from this momentum, significantly affecting the integral. At exact half-filling, a single-particle gap opens, and the Green's function becomes nearly vanishing across the entire momentum space, indicating the complete suppression of low-energy electronic states consistent with the nature of an insulating charge-density-wave phase. These results suggest that the breakdown of the Luttinger theorem is not triggered by a single mechanism, but rather results from the interplay between interaction-driven evolution of excitation modes and the breaking of particle-hole symmetry, ultimately leading to a continuous reconstruction of the generalized Fermi surface from topologically protected to correlation-driven.

arXiv:2506.04064•Jun 4, 2025•0 citations

Fermi Liquids and the Luttinger Integral

Oliver J. Curtin, Yunori Nishikawa, Alex C. Hewson +1 more

The Luttinger Theorem, which relates the electron density to the volume of the Fermi surface in an itinerant electron system, is taken to be one of the essential features of a Fermi liquid. The microscopic derivation of this result depends on the vanishing of a certain integral, the Luttinger integral I L , which is also the basis of the Friedel sum rule for impurity models, relating the impurity occupation number to the scattering phase shift of the conduction electrons. It is known that non-zero values of I L with I L = ± π /2, occur in impurity models classified as singular Fermi liquids. Here we show the same values, I L = ± π /2, occur in an impurity model in phases with regular low energy Fermi liquid behavior. Consequently the Luttinger integral can be taken to characterize these phases, and the quantum critical points separating them interpreted as topological.

arXiv:1703.01807•Journal of Physics Communications•Feb 16, 2018•18 citations
Luttinger theorem relates Fermi surface volume to electron density per spin nnn. It holds in an arbitrary Fermi liquid but is widely believed to break when a fermionic self-energy has a pole. We show that this is not necessarily the case. As an example, we consider a fermionic system consisting of two gapped bands, originating from a self-energy Σ(ω,k)Σ(ω, \mathbf{k})Σ(ω,k) with a pole, and a narrow residual quasiparticle band crossing ω=0ω=0ω=0, with a small residue Z≪1Z \ll 1Z≪1 (a residual Fermi liquid). We consider Model I, in which ZZZ also renormalizes quasiparticle bandwidth WWW to ZWZWZW and Model II, in which WWW remains unrenormalized. The Green's function for such a system G(ω,k)G(ω, \mathbf{k})G(ω,k) contains two zeros and three poles --- one from the quasiparticle band and two from the gapped bands. Yet, we show that in Model I, the Luttinger-Ward analysis is fully applicable for any Z>0Z >0Z>0, and the results are exactly the same as if the gapped bands did not exist. For Model II, the Luttinger-Ward analysis recovers once ZZZ exceeds some critical value, which depends on fermionic density.
Breakdown of Landau's hypothesis of adiabatic continuation from noninteracting to fully interacting electrons is commonly believed to bring about a violation of Luttinger's theorem. Here, we elucidate what may go wrong in the proof of Luttinger's theorem. The analysis provides a simple way to correct Luttinger's expression of the electron number in single-band models where perturbation theory breaks down through the birth of a Luttinger surface without symmetry breaking. In those cases, we find that the Fermi volume only accounts for the doping away from half-filling. In the hypothetical circumstance of a non-symmetry-breaking Mott insulator with a Luttinger surface, our analysis predicts the noteworthy existence of quasiparticles whose Fermi surface is just the Luttinger one. Therefore, those quasiparticles can be legitimately regarded as spinons, and the Mott insulator with a Luttinger surface as realization of a spin-liquid insulator.
Based solely on the analytical properties of the single-particle Green's function of fermions at finite temperatures, we show that the generalized Luttinger theorem inherently possesses topological aspects. The topological interpretation of the generalized Luttinger theorem can be introduced because (i) the Luttinger volume is represented as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function and, thus, (ii) the deviation of the theorem, expressed with a ratio between the interacting and noninteracting single-particle Green's functions, is also represented as the winding number of this ratio. The formulation based on the winding number naturally leads to two types of the generalized Luttinger theorem. Exploring two examples of single-band translationally invariant interacting electrons, i.e., simple metal and Mott insulator, we show that the first type falls into the original statement for Fermi liquids given by Luttinger, where poles of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential, while the second type corresponds to the extended one for nonmetallic cases with no Fermi surface such as insulators and superconductors generalized by Dzyaloshinskii, where zeros of the single-particle Green's function appear at the chemical potential. This formulation also allows us to derive a sufficient condition for the validity of the Luttinger theorem of the first type by applying the Rouche's theorem in complex analysis as an inequality. Moreover, we can rigorously prove in a nonperturbative manner, without assuming any detail of a microscopic Hamiltonian, that the generalized Luttinger theorem of both types is valid for generic interacting fermions as long as the particle-hole symmetry is preserved. Finally, we show that the winding number of the single-particle Green's function can also be associated with the distribution function of quasiparticles, and therefore the number of quasiparticles is equal to the Luttinger volume. This implies that the fundamental hypothesis of the Landau's Fermi-liquid theory, the number of fermions being equal to that of quasiparticles, is guaranteed if the Luttinger theorem is valid since the theorem states that the number of fermions is equal to the Luttinger volume. All these general statements are made possible because of the finding that the Luttinger volume is expressed as the winding number of the single-particle Green's function at finite temperatures, for which the complex analysis can be readily exploited.
Abstract Luttinger’s theorem is a major result in many-body physics that states the volume of the Fermi surface is directly proportional to the particle density. In its ‘hard’ form, Luttinger’s theorem implies that the Fermi volume is invariant with respect to interactions (as opposed to a ‘soft’ Luttinger’s theorem, where this invariance is lost). Despite it is simplicity, the conditions on the fermionic self energy under which Luttinger’s theorem is valid remains a matter of debate, with possible requirements for its validity ranging from particle-hole symmetry to analyticity about the Fermi surface. In this paper, we propose the minimal requirements for the application of a hard Luttinger’s theorem to a generic fermionic system of arbitrary interaction strength by invoking the Atiyah–Singer index theorem to quantify the topologically-robust behavior of a generalized Fermi surface. We show that the applicability of a hard Luttinger’s theorem in a D-dimensional system is directly dependent on the existence of a (D − 1)-dimensional manifold of gapless chiral excitations at the Fermi level, regardless of whether the system exhibits Luttinger or Fermi surfaces (i.e., manifolds of zeroes of the Green’s function and inverse Green’s function, respectively). The exact form of the self-energy which guarantees validity of a hard Luttinger’s theorem is derived, and agreement with current experiments, numerics, and theories are discussed.
We show exactly with an SU(N) interacting model that even if the ambiguity associated with the placement of the chemical potential, μ, for a T=0 gapped system is removed by using the unique value μ(T→0), Luttinger's sum rule is violated even if the ground-state degeneracy is lifted by an infinitesimal hopping. The failure stems from the nonexistence of the Luttinger-Ward functional for a system in which the self-energy diverges. Since it is the existence of the Luttinger-Ward functional that is the basis for Luttinger's theorem which relates the charge density to sign changes of the single-particle Green function, no such theorem exists. Experimental data on the cuprates are presented which show a systematic deviation from the Luttinger count, implying a breakdown of the electron quasiparticle picture in strongly correlated electron matter.
Using the density matrix renormalization group method, we systematically investigate the evolution of the Luttinger integral in the one-dimensional generalized ttt-VVV model as a function of filling and interaction strength, and identify three representative phases. In the weak-coupling regime, the zero-frequency Green's function exhibits a branch-cut structure at the Fermi momentum, and the Luttinger integral accurately reflects the particle density, indicating that the Luttinger theorem holds. As the interaction increases, the spectral weight near the Fermi momentum is gradually suppressed. Interestingly, in the strong coupling regime near half-filling, this singularity is progressively destroyed, accompanied by the emergence of momentum-space zeros in the real part of the Green's function, leading to a novel non-Fermi liquid metallic phase beyond the classic Luttinger liquid paradigm, where the Luttinger surface is no longer defined by a single singularity. While finite spectral weight remains at the original Fermi momentum, the singularity gradually diminishes. Meanwhile, zeros with negligible spectral weight appear away from this momentum, significantly affecting the integral. At exact half-filling, a single-particle gap opens, and the Green's function becomes nearly vanishing across the entire momentum space, indicating the complete suppression of low-energy electronic states consistent with the nature of an insulating charge-density-wave phase. These results suggest that the breakdown of the Luttinger theorem is not triggered by a single mechanism, but rather results from the interplay between interaction-driven evolution of excitation modes and the breaking of particle-hole symmetry, ultimately leading to a continuous reconstruction of the generalized Fermi surface from topologically protected to correlation-driven.
The Luttinger Theorem, which relates the electron density to the volume of the Fermi surface in an itinerant electron system, is taken to be one of the essential features of a Fermi liquid. The microscopic derivation of this result depends on the vanishing of a certain integral, the Luttinger integral I L , which is also the basis of the Friedel sum rule for impurity models, relating the impurity occupation number to the scattering phase shift of the conduction electrons. It is known that non-zero values of I L with I L = ± π /2, occur in impurity models classified as singular Fermi liquids. Here we show the same values, I L = ± π /2, occur in an impurity model in phases with regular low energy Fermi liquid behavior. Consequently the Luttinger integral can be taken to characterize these phases, and the quantum critical points separating them interpreted as topological.