Dynamical properties of strongly interacting system and their novel ordered states

Quantum materials are systems in which electronic ground states emerge from strong interactions between charge, spin, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom. These interactions may be enhanced by reduced dimensionality or geometric frustration, and may also result in topologically protected electronic states. Noninteracting single band models fail to adequately describe these systems. Time-resolved optical measurements using femtosecond laser pulses can be used to study strongly interacting degrees of freedom on their natural timescales. By photoexciting the samples gently, it is possible to study these dynamics without disturbing the underlying order. In this work, the relaxation dynamics of photoexcited quasiparticles are studied in several quantum materials in which Coulomb repulsion and spin-orbit coupling are both strong. The relaxation dynamics reveal information about the low energy energy electronic structure as well as the nature of the strong interactions that govern the emergent properties of the system.Quantum materials are systems in which electronic ground states emerge from strong interactions between charge, spin, lattice, and orbital degrees of freedom. These interactions may be enhanced by reduced dimensionality or geometric frustration, and may also result in topologically protected electronic states. Noninteracting single band models fail to adequately describe these systems. Time-resolved optical measurements using femtosecond laser pulses can be used to study strongly interacting degrees of freedom on their natural timescales. By photoexciting the samples gently, it is possible to study these dynamics without disturbing the underlying order. In this work, the relaxation dynamics of photoexcited quasiparticles are studied in several quantum materials in which Coulomb repulsion and spin-orbit coupling are both strong. The relaxation dynamics reveal information about the low energy energy electronic structure as well as the nature of the strong interactions that govern the emergent properties of the system.

Jan 1, 20190 citations

Statistical physics of quantum systems : novel orders and dynamics

Naomichi Hatano

Physical Society of Japan eBooksJan 1, 20058 citations

Equilibrium and nonequilibrium scaling phenomena in strongly correlated systems

D. Mesterházy

In this thesis we examine universal scaling properties of strongly-correlated systems near and far from equilibrium. We discuss quantum phase transitions at vanishing temperature, multicritical and dynamic critical behavior near thermal equilibrium, and scaling properties of nonequilibrium steady states. We employ nonperturbative methods including the functional renormalization group as well as Monte Carlo simulations. A general outline of the functional renormalization group is given in the introductory chapters. \n \nIn the first part of this thesis, we investigate spinless fermions on the honeycomb lattice interacting via short-range repulsive interactions. Such a system can be seen as a simple model for suspended graphene. The short-range interactions control the ground state properties of the system that may lead to a chiral phase transition from the semimetal to the charge density wave (CDW)/Kekulé ordered state. We determine the universal scaling properties at the chiral transition, and establish the presence of large anomalous dimensions indicating the importance of strong fluctuations. \n \nThe competition of two nonvanishing order parameters and their corresponding multicritical behavior are investigated in the subsequent chapter. We characterize the bicritical and tetracritical behavior in the purely bosonic O(N_1) + O(N_2) symmetric model and comment on possible applications to condensed-matter and high-energy physics. \n \nIn the following chapter we discuss the long-time relaxational behavior at criticality of an order parameter with O(N) symmetry coupled to an additional conserved density. We find an anomalous diffusion phase with new dynamic scaling properties. Using the functional renormalization group we determine the complete dynamic critical behavior of the model in 2 < d < 4 dimensions and compare our results to experiments. \n \nFinally, we investigate the scaling properties of stationary states far from equilibrium. At the example of the one-dimensional Burgers’ equation we develop a novel approach to hydrodynamic turbulence using lattice Monte Carlo methods. We apply these techniques to determine the statistical properties of small-scale fluctuations in this model and identify the anomalous scaling behavior. \nIn this thesis we examine universal scaling properties of strongly-correlated systems near and far from equilibrium. We discuss quantum phase transitions at vanishing temperature, multicritical and dynamic critical behavior near thermal equilibrium, and scaling properties of nonequilibrium steady states. We employ nonperturbative methods including the functional renormalization group as well as Monte Carlo simulations. A general outline of the functional renormalization group is given in the introductory chapters. \n \nIn the first part of this thesis, we investigate spinless fermions on the honeycomb lattice interacting via short-range repulsive interactions. Such a system can be seen as a simple model for suspended graphene. The short-range interactions control the ground state properties of the system that may lead to a chiral phase transition from the semimetal to the charge density wave (CDW)/Kekulé ordered state. We determine the universal scaling properties at the chiral transition, and establish the presence of large anomalous dimensions indicating the importance of strong fluctuations. \n \nThe competition of two nonvanishing order parameters and their corresponding multicritical behavior are investigated in the subsequent chapter. We characterize the bicritical and tetracritical behavior in the purely bosonic O(N_1) + O(N_2) symmetric model and comment on possible applications to condensed-matter and high-energy physics. \n \nIn the following chapter we discuss the long-time relaxational behavior at criticality of an order parameter with O(N) symmetry coupled to an additional conserved density. We find an anomalous diffusion phase with new dynamic scaling properties. Using the functional renormalization group we determine the complete dynamic critical behavior of the model in 2 < d < 4 dimensions and compare our results to experiments. \n \nFinally, we investigate the scaling properties of stationary states far from equilibrium. At the example of the one-dimensional Burgers’ equation we develop a novel approach to hydrodynamic turbulence using lattice Monte Carlo methods. We apply these techniques to determine the statistical properties of small-scale fluctuations in this model and identify the anomalous scaling behavior. \n

Jan 1, 20130 citations

Strongly Interacting Fermi Gases: Hydrodynamics and Beyond

William E. Lewis

This thesis considers out-of-equilibrium dynamics of strongly interacting non-relativistic Fermi gases in several two and three dimensional geometries. The tools of second-order hydrodynamics and gauge-gravity duality will be utilized to address this system. Many of the themes of this work are motivated by the observed similarities in transport properties between strongly interacting Fermi gases and other very different strongly interacting quantum fluids such as the quark-gluon plasma, high temperature superconductors, and quantum field theories described by gauge-gravity duality. In particular, these systems all nearly saturate the conjectured lower bound on the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density $η/s \geq \hbar/(4 πk_B)$ coming from the AdS/CFT correspondence. Among other things, this observation, in conjunction with current experiment and data analysis in atomic, condensed matter, and nuclear physics lends itself to the following questions: How perfect of a fluid is the strongly interacting Fermi gas, and can one find a more stringent constraint on $η/s$ in Fermi gases? Do the similarities in transport properties among strongly interacting quantum systems extend beyond dynamics controlled by the hydrodynamical shear viscosity? In regards to the first question, by utilizing second-order hydrodynamics, it will be demonstrated that higher-order collective modes of a harmonically trapped Fermi gas may serve as a more sensitive probe of the shear viscosity. For the second question, both second-order hydrodynamics and a gravity dual theory are used to make predictions about dynamics occurring on short timescales where hydrodynamics is expected to break down. In particular the appearance of a class of "non-hydrodynamic" collective modes not contained within a Navier-Stokes description of the strongly interacting Fermi gas will be discussed.This thesis considers out-of-equilibrium dynamics of strongly interacting non-relativistic Fermi gases in several two and three dimensional geometries. The tools of second-order hydrodynamics and gauge-gravity duality will be utilized to address this system. Many of the themes of this work are motivated by the observed similarities in transport properties between strongly interacting Fermi gases and other very different strongly interacting quantum fluids such as the quark-gluon plasma, high temperature superconductors, and quantum field theories described by gauge-gravity duality. In particular, these systems all nearly saturate the conjectured lower bound on the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density $η/s \geq \hbar/(4 πk_B)$ coming from the AdS/CFT correspondence. Among other things, this observation, in conjunction with current experiment and data analysis in atomic, condensed matter, and nuclear physics lends itself to the following questions: How perfect of a fluid is the strongly interacting Fermi gas, and can one find a more stringent constraint on $η/s$ in Fermi gases? Do the similarities in transport properties among strongly interacting quantum systems extend beyond dynamics controlled by the hydrodynamical shear viscosity? In regards to the first question, by utilizing second-order hydrodynamics, it will be demonstrated that higher-order collective modes of a harmonically trapped Fermi gas may serve as a more sensitive probe of the shear viscosity. For the second question, both second-order hydrodynamics and a gravity dual theory are used to make predictions about dynamics occurring on short timescales where hydrodynamics is expected to break down. In particular the appearance of a class of "non-hydrodynamic" collective modes not contained within a Navier-Stokes description of the strongly interacting Fermi gas will be discussed.

arXiv:1804.10209Apr 26, 20180 citations

Dynamical Properties of Strongly Correlated Fermionic Systems

Stephan Haas

Jan 1, 19951 citation

η/s \geq \hbar/(4 πk_B)

coming from the AdS/CFT correspondence. Among other things, this observation, in conjunction with current experiment and data analysis in atomic, condensed matter, and nuclear physics lends itself to the following questions: How perfect of a fluid is the strongly interacting Fermi gas, and can one find a more stringent constraint on

η/s

in Fermi gases? Do the similarities in transport properties among strongly interacting quantum systems extend beyond dynamics controlled by the hydrodynamical shear viscosity? In regards to the first question, by utilizing second-order hydrodynamics, it will be demonstrated that higher-order collective modes of a harmonically trapped Fermi gas may serve as a more sensitive probe of the shear viscosity. For the second question, both second-order hydrodynamics and a gravity dual theory are used to make predictions about dynamics occurring on short timescales where hydrodynamics is expected to break down. In particular the appearance of a class of "non-hydrodynamic" collective modes not contained within a Navier-Stokes description of the strongly interacting Fermi gas will be discussed.