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:cond-mat/0104583 · Physical review. B, Condensed matter

Competition of random and periodic potentials in interacting fermionic systems and classical equivalents: The Mott glass

Thierry Giamarchi, Pierre Le Doussal, E. Orignac

Published Dec 10, 2001• 63 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We study the competition between a random potential and a commensurate potential on interacting fermionic and bosonic systems using a variety of methods. We focus on one-dimensional interacting fermionic systems, but higher-dimensional bosonic and fermionic extensions, as well as classical equivalents, are also discussed. Our methods, which include the bosonization method, the replica variational method, the functional renormalization group method, and perturbation around the atomic limit, go beyond conventional perturbative expansions around the Luttinger liquid in one dimension. All these methods agree on the prediction in these systems of a phase, the Mott glass, intermediate between the Anderson (compressible, with a pseudogap in the optical conductivity) and the Mott (incompressible with a gap in the optical conductivity) insulator. The Mott glass, which was unexpected from a perturbative renormalization-group point of view has a pseudogap in the conductivity while remaining incompressible. Having derived the existence of a Mott glass phase in one dimension, we show qualitatively that its existence can also be expected in higher dimensions. We discuss the relevance of this phase to experimental systems such as disordered classical elastic systems and dirty bosons.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.64.245119

Related papers

Possible New Phase of Commensurate Insulators with Disorder: The Mott Glass

E. Orignac, Thierry Giamarchi, Pierre Le Doussal

A new thermodynamic phase resulting from the competition between a commensurate potential and disorder in interacting fermionic or bosonic systems is predicted. It requires interactions of finite extent. This phase, intermediate between the Mott insulator and the Anderson insulator, is both incompressible and has no gap in the conductivity. The corresponding phase is also predicted for commensurate classical elastic systems in the presence of correlated disorder.

arXiv:cond-mat/9903340•Physical Review Letters•Sep 20, 1999•40 citations

Is there a Mott-glass phase in a one-dimensional disordered quantum fluid with linearly confining interactions?

N. Dupuis

We study a one-dimensional disordered quantum fluid with linearly confining interactions (disordered Schwinger model) using bosonization and the nonperturbative functional renormalization group. We find that the long-range interactions make the Anderson-insulator (or, for bosons, the Bose-glass) fixed point (corresponding to a compressible state with a gapless optical conductivity) unstable, even if the latter may control the flow at intermediate energy scales. The stable fixed point describes an incompressible ground state with a gapped optical conductivity similar to a Mott insulator. These results disagree with the Gaussian variational method that predicts a Mott glass, namely a state with vanishing compressibility but a gapless optical conductivity.

arXiv:2001.05682•Europhysics Letters (EPL)•Jul 3, 2020•12 citations

The Effect of Randomness on the Mott State

Thomas Nattermann, Aleksandra Petković, Zoran Ristivojević +1 more

We reinvestigate the competition between the Mott and the Anderson insulator state in a one-dimensional disordered fermionic system by a combination of instanton and renormalization group methods. Tracing back both the compressibility and the ac-conductivity to a vanishing kink energy of the electronic displacement field we do not find any indication for the existence of an intermediate (Mott glass) phase.

•Jan 1, 2007•0 citations

Mott glass from localization and confinement

Yang-Zhi Chou, Rahul Nandkishore, Leo Radzihovsky

We study a system of fermions in one spatial dimension with linearly confining interactions and short-range disorder. We focus on the zero-temperature properties of this system, which we characterize using bosonization and the Gaussian variational method. We compute the static compressibility and ac conductivity, and thereby demonstrate that the system is incompressible, but exhibits gapless optical conductivity. This corresponds to a ``Mott glass'' state, distinct from an Anderson and a fully gapped Mott insulator, arising due to the interplay of disorder and charge confinement. We argue that this Mott glass phenomenology should persist to nonzero temperatures.

arXiv:1803.04426•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•May 21, 2018•9 citations

Absence of the Mott Glass Phase in 1D Disordered Fermionic Systems

Thomas Nattermann, Aleksandra Petković, Zoran Ristivojević +1 more

We study the competition between the Mott and the Anderson insulating state in a one-dimensional disordered fermionic system. The notorious difficulties associated with strong coupling phases are avoided by using a new description in terms of the kink energies (or instanton surface tension) of the electronic displacement pattern. The approach has some similarities to the description of the flat phase of surfaces undergoing a roughening transition. Tracing back both a finite compressibility and a nonzero ac conductivity to vanishing kink energy we exclude the existence of an intermediate Mott-glass phase in systems with short range interaction only. In systems with long range interaction the Anderson insulating phase exhibits the features of a Mott glass however. The phase diagram is constructed from combining the information from the renormalization group flow, the kink energy, and simple rescaling analysis.

arXiv:cond-mat/0701114•Physical Review Letters•Oct 31, 2007•9 citations

Disordered Quantum Solids

Thierry Giamarchi, E. Orignac

Due to the peculiar non-fermi liquid of one dimensional systems, disorder has particularly strong effects. We show that such systems belong to the more general class of disordered quantum solids. We discuss the physics of such disordered interacting systems and the methods that allows to treat them. In addition to, by now standard renormalization group methods, We explain how a simple variational approach allows to treat these problems even in case when the RG fails. We discuss various physical realizations of such disordered quantum solids both in one and higher dimensions (Wigner crystal, Bose glass). We investigate in details the interesting example of a disordered Mott insulator and argue that intermediate disorder can lead to a novel phase, the Mott glass, intermediate between a Mott and and Anderson insulator.

arXiv:cond-mat/0005220•May 12, 2000•0 citations
We study the competition between a random potential and a commensurate potential on interacting fermionic and bosonic systems using a variety of methods. We focus on one-dimensional interacting fermionic systems, but higher-dimensional bosonic and fermionic extensions, as well as classical equivalents, are also discussed. Our methods, which include the bosonization method, the replica variational method, the functional renormalization group method, and perturbation around the atomic limit, go beyond conventional perturbative expansions around the Luttinger liquid in one dimension. All these methods agree on the prediction in these systems of a phase, the Mott glass, intermediate between the Anderson (compressible, with a pseudogap in the optical conductivity) and the Mott (incompressible with a gap in the optical conductivity) insulator. The Mott glass, which was unexpected from a perturbative renormalization-group point of view has a pseudogap in the conductivity while remaining incompressible. Having derived the existence of a Mott glass phase in one dimension, we show qualitatively that its existence can also be expected in higher dimensions. We discuss the relevance of this phase to experimental systems such as disordered classical elastic systems and dirty bosons.
We study a one-dimensional disordered quantum fluid with linearly confining interactions (disordered Schwinger model) using bosonization and the nonperturbative functional renormalization group. We find that the long-range interactions make the Anderson-insulator (or, for bosons, the Bose-glass) fixed point (corresponding to a compressible state with a gapless optical conductivity) unstable, even if the latter may control the flow at intermediate energy scales. The stable fixed point describes an incompressible ground state with a gapped optical conductivity similar to a Mott insulator. These results disagree with the Gaussian variational method that predicts a Mott glass, namely a state with vanishing compressibility but a gapless optical conductivity.
We study a system of fermions in one spatial dimension with linearly confining interactions and short-range disorder. We focus on the zero-temperature properties of this system, which we characterize using bosonization and the Gaussian variational method. We compute the static compressibility and ac conductivity, and thereby demonstrate that the system is incompressible, but exhibits gapless optical conductivity. This corresponds to a ``Mott glass'' state, distinct from an Anderson and a fully gapped Mott insulator, arising due to the interplay of disorder and charge confinement. We argue that this Mott glass phenomenology should persist to nonzero temperatures.
We study the competition between the Mott and the Anderson insulating state in a one-dimensional disordered fermionic system. The notorious difficulties associated with strong coupling phases are avoided by using a new description in terms of the kink energies (or instanton surface tension) of the electronic displacement pattern. The approach has some similarities to the description of the flat phase of surfaces undergoing a roughening transition. Tracing back both a finite compressibility and a nonzero ac conductivity to vanishing kink energy we exclude the existence of an intermediate Mott-glass phase in systems with short range interaction only. In systems with long range interaction the Anderson insulating phase exhibits the features of a Mott glass however. The phase diagram is constructed from combining the information from the renormalization group flow, the kink energy, and simple rescaling analysis.
Due to the peculiar non-fermi liquid of one dimensional systems, disorder has particularly strong effects. We show that such systems belong to the more general class of disordered quantum solids. We discuss the physics of such disordered interacting systems and the methods that allows to treat them. In addition to, by now standard renormalization group methods, We explain how a simple variational approach allows to treat these problems even in case when the RG fails. We discuss various physical realizations of such disordered quantum solids both in one and higher dimensions (Wigner crystal, Bose glass). We investigate in details the interesting example of a disordered Mott insulator and argue that intermediate disorder can lead to a novel phase, the Mott glass, intermediate between a Mott and and Anderson insulator.