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/0208351 · Physical review. B, Condensed matter

Renormalization approach to many-particle systems

K. W. Becker, A. Hübsch, T. Sommer

Published Dec 27, 2002• 38 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

This paper presents a renormalization approach to many-particle systems. By starting from a bare Hamiltonian $\mathcal{H}={\mathcal{H}}_{0}+{\mathcal{H}}_{1}$ with an unperturbed part ${\mathcal{H}}_{0}$ and a perturbation ${\mathcal{H}}_{1},$ we define an effective Hamiltonian which has a band-diagonal shape with respect to the eigenbasis of ${\mathcal{H}}_{0}.$ This means that all transition matrix elements are suppressed which have energy differences larger than a given cutoff $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ that is smaller than the cutoff $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ of the original Hamiltonian. This property resembles a recent flow equation approach on the basis of continuous unitary transformations. For demonstration of the method we discuss an exact solvable model, as well as the Anderson-lattice model where the well-known quasiparticle behavior of heavy fermions is derived.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.66.235115

Related papers

Renormalization of the periodic Anderson model: An alternative analytical approach to heavy-fermion behavior

A. Hübsch, K. W. Becker

In this paper a recently developed projector-based renormalization method (PRM) for many-particle Hamiltonians is applied to the periodic Anderson model with the aim to describe heavy-fermion behavior. In this method high-energetic excitation operators instead of high energetic states are eliminated. We arrive at an effective Hamiltonian for a quasifree system which consists of two noninteracting heavy-quasiparticle bands. The resulting renormalization equations for the parameters of the Hamiltonian are valid for large as well as small degeneracy ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ of the angular momentum. An expansion in $1∕{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ is avoided. Within an additional approximation which adapts the idea of a fixed renormalized $f$ level ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}}_{f}$, we obtain coupled equations for ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}}_{f}$ and the averaged $f$ occupation $⟨{n}_{f}⟩$. These equations resemble to a certain extent those of the usual slave boson mean-field (SB) treatment. In particular, for large ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ the results for the PRM and the SB approach agree perfectly whereas considerable differences are found for small ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$.

arXiv:cond-mat/0406653•Physical Review B•Apr 20, 2005•9 citations

Projector-based renormalization method (PRM) and its application to many-particle systems

A. Hübsch, Steffen Sykora, K. W. Becker

Despite the advances in the development of numerical methods analytical approaches play a key role on the way towards a deeper understanding of strongly interacting systems. In this regards, renormalization schemes for Hamiltonians represent an important new direction in the field. Among these renormalization schemes the projector-based renormalization method (PRM) reviewed here might be the approach with the widest range of possible applications: As demonstrated in this review, continuous unitary transformations, perturbation theory, non-perturbative phenomena, and quantum-phase transitions can be understood within the same theoretical framework. This review starts from the definition of an effective Hamiltonian by means of projection operators that allows the evaluation within perturbation theory as well as the formulation of a renormalization scheme. The developed approach is then applied to three different many-particle systems: At first, we study the electron-phonon problem to discuss several modifications of the method and to demonstrate how phase transitions can be described within the PRM. Secondly, to show that non-perturbative phenomena are accessible by the PRM, the periodic Anderson model is investigated to describe heavy-fermion behavior. Finally, we discuss the quantum-phase transition in the one-dimensional Holstein model of spinless fermions where both metallic and insulating phase are described within the same theoretical framework.

arXiv:0809.3360•Sep 19, 2008•0 citations

A low-energy effective Hamiltonian for Landau quasiparticles: I. A unified theory of transport and superfluidity in Fermi liquids

Pierre-Louis Taillat, Hadrien Kurkjian

We introduce a new renormalisation scheme to construct the Landau quasiparticles of Fermi fluids. The scheme introduces an energy cutoff $Λ$ to remove the resonant couplings, enabling the dressing of the particles into quasiparticles via a unitary transformation. The dynamics of the quasiparticles is then restricted to low-energy transitions and is fully determined by an effective Hamiltonian which unifies the Landau function $f$, the pair interaction $g$ responsible for superfluidity, and the collision amplitude $\mathcal{A}$ responsible for transport and equilibration. Studying the flow equation that results from infinitesimal variations of the cutoff, we recover the Bethe-Salpeter relation between $f$ and the forward limit of $\mathcal{A}$, and we demonstrate an analogue relation between $g$ and the frontal limit of $\mathcal{A}$. We show that our effective theory captures all the low-energy phenomena of Fermi liquids, from the equation of state to the transport properties, both in the normal and in the superfluid phase. We apply it to the calculation of non-Fermi liquid corrections to the quasiparticle lifetime. This publication is continued by arXiv:2607.07041 where we apply the effective theory to a Fermi fluid of ultracold atoms.

cond-mat.quant-gasCross-listedarXiv:2511.15938•Nov 21, 2025•0 citations

Definition and rigorous derivation of effective models in many body quantum mechanics

Thomas Gamet

The object of this thesis is to study the definition and the mathematically rigorous derivation of effective models in many body quantum mechanics. In this field, it is often impossible to compte exactly physically relevant quantities - such as the ground state energy of a system - because of the large number of degrees of freedom. Hence, introducing effective models (depending only on the local density of particles for instance) allows us to compute these quantities. Then, it remains to check that the effective model is indeed an approximation of the exact model in a macroscopic limit. Besides, in some models, some physical quantities (energy, scattering amplitude...), when computed naively, appear to be infinite. One has then to renormalize the theory in order to make these divergences (that are not observed experimentally) disappear. After putting the results of this thesis into context in the introduction, we will focus on the renormalization of a bosonic quadratic Hamiltonian on the Fock space in Chapter 2. This (formal) Hamiltonian is the sum of the second quantization of a one-particle operator and the square of a field operator, and it exhibits an ultraviolet divergence (i.e. coming from local singularities). More accurately, we will try to define a self-adjoint operator, and to show that it is the limit (in the resolvent sense) of the Hamiltonian with ultraviolet cutoff when the cutoff tends to infinity. To do so, we will first diagonalize the Hamiltonian in the regular case, using Bogoliubov transformations. Then, we will prove that the diagonalized Hamiltonian (up to a renormalization of the energy and the charge) still defines a self-adjoint, and we will show the convergence of the Hamiltonian with cut-off. In a second time, we will study the semi-classical limit of a Fermi gas, in two different scalings. In Chapter 3, we will focus on the dilute limite (i.e. with an interaction range very small compared to the typical distance between particles) of an inhomogeneous (trapped with a potential V) Fermi gas, with repulsive interactions and in three dimensions. Due to the Pauli exclusion principle, two fermions of same spin can only rarely be close enough to interact. Thus, we will consider a Fermi gas with two spin components. We will then show that the ground state energy of such a system can be approximated by a Thomas-Fermi energy (in which interactions play the role of a perturbation of the interactionless energy) in the large number of particles limit. Eventually, in Chapter 4, we will study the mean-field limit (with frequent but weak interactions) of an inhomogeneous Fermi gas, with attractive interactions and in one or two dimensions this time. Once more, we will show the convergence of the ground state energy toward a Thomas-Fermi energy. Moreover, we will also prove the convergence of the ground states. More accurately, we will show that the Husimi functions of these ground states converge to a convex combination of minimizers of the Vlasov energy.

•Jun 24, 2026•0 citations

Flow equations for the Anderson Hamiltonian

Stefan K. Kehrein, Andreas Mielke

Using a continuous unitary transformation recently proposed by Wegner \cite{Wegner} together with an approximation that neglects irrelevant contributions, we obtain flow equations for Hamiltonians. These flow equations yield a diagonal or almost diagonal Hamiltonian. As an example we investigate the Anderson Hamiltonian for dilute magnetic alloys. We study the different fixed points of the flow equations and the corresponding relevant, marginal or irrelevant contributions. Our results are consistent with results obtained by a numerical renormalization group method, but our approach is considerably simpler.

arXiv:cond-mat/9405034•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General•Jun 21, 1994•36 citations

Generalized diagonalization scheme for many-particle systems

Steffen Sykora, A. Hübsch, K. W. Becker

Despite the advances in the development of numerical methods analytical approaches still play the key role on the way towards a deeper understanding of many-particle systems. In this regard, diagonalization schemes for Hamiltonians represent an important direction in the field. Among these techniques the method, presented here, might be that approach with the widest range of possible applications: We demonstrate that both stepwise and continuous unitary transformations to diagonalize the many-particle Hamiltonian as well as perturbation theory and also nonperturbative treatments can be understood within the same theoretical framework. The new method is based on the introduction of generalized projection operators and allows us to develop a renormalization scheme which is used to evaluate directly the physical quantities of a many-particle system. The applicability of this approach is shown for two important elementary many-particle problems.

arXiv:2010.07005•Physical review. B./Physical review. B•Oct 13, 2020•9 citations
This paper presents a renormalization approach to many-particle systems. By starting from a bare Hamiltonian H=H0+H1\mathcal{H}={\mathcal{H}}_{0}+{\mathcal{H}}_{1}H=H0​+H1​ with an unperturbed part H0{\mathcal{H}}_{0}H0​ and a perturbation H1,{\mathcal{H}}_{1},H1​, we define an effective Hamiltonian which has a band-diagonal shape with respect to the eigenbasis of H0.{\mathcal{H}}_{0}.H0​. This means that all transition matrix elements are suppressed which have energy differences larger than a given cutoff \ensuremathλ\ensuremath{\lambda}\ensuremathλ that is smaller than the cutoff \ensuremathΛ\ensuremath{\Lambda}\ensuremathΛ of the original Hamiltonian. This property resembles a recent flow equation approach on the basis of continuous unitary transformations. For demonstration of the method we discuss an exact solvable model, as well as the Anderson-lattice model where the well-known quasiparticle behavior of heavy fermions is derived.
In this paper a recently developed projector-based renormalization method (PRM) for many-particle Hamiltonians is applied to the periodic Anderson model with the aim to describe heavy-fermion behavior. In this method high-energetic excitation operators instead of high energetic states are eliminated. We arrive at an effective Hamiltonian for a quasifree system which consists of two noninteracting heavy-quasiparticle bands. The resulting renormalization equations for the parameters of the Hamiltonian are valid for large as well as small degeneracy ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ of the angular momentum. An expansion in $1∕{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ is avoided. Within an additional approximation which adapts the idea of a fixed renormalized fff level ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}}_{f}$, we obtain coupled equations for ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}}_{f}$ and the averaged fff occupation ⟨nf⟩⟨{n}_{f}⟩⟨nf​⟩. These equations resemble to a certain extent those of the usual slave boson mean-field (SB) treatment. In particular, for large ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$ the results for the PRM and the SB approach agree perfectly whereas considerable differences are found for small ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{f}$.
Despite the advances in the development of numerical methods analytical approaches play a key role on the way towards a deeper understanding of strongly interacting systems. In this regards, renormalization schemes for Hamiltonians represent an important new direction in the field. Among these renormalization schemes the projector-based renormalization method (PRM) reviewed here might be the approach with the widest range of possible applications: As demonstrated in this review, continuous unitary transformations, perturbation theory, non-perturbative phenomena, and quantum-phase transitions can be understood within the same theoretical framework. This review starts from the definition of an effective Hamiltonian by means of projection operators that allows the evaluation within perturbation theory as well as the formulation of a renormalization scheme. The developed approach is then applied to three different many-particle systems: At first, we study the electron-phonon problem to discuss several modifications of the method and to demonstrate how phase transitions can be described within the PRM. Secondly, to show that non-perturbative phenomena are accessible by the PRM, the periodic Anderson model is investigated to describe heavy-fermion behavior. Finally, we discuss the quantum-phase transition in the one-dimensional Holstein model of spinless fermions where both metallic and insulating phase are described within the same theoretical framework.
We introduce a new renormalisation scheme to construct the Landau quasiparticles of Fermi fluids. The scheme introduces an energy cutoff ΛΛΛ to remove the resonant couplings, enabling the dressing of the particles into quasiparticles via a unitary transformation. The dynamics of the quasiparticles is then restricted to low-energy transitions and is fully determined by an effective Hamiltonian which unifies the Landau function fff, the pair interaction ggg responsible for superfluidity, and the collision amplitude A\mathcal{A}A responsible for transport and equilibration. Studying the flow equation that results from infinitesimal variations of the cutoff, we recover the Bethe-Salpeter relation between fff and the forward limit of A\mathcal{A}A, and we demonstrate an analogue relation between ggg and the frontal limit of A\mathcal{A}A. We show that our effective theory captures all the low-energy phenomena of Fermi liquids, from the equation of state to the transport properties, both in the normal and in the superfluid phase. We apply it to the calculation of non-Fermi liquid corrections to the quasiparticle lifetime. This publication is continued by arXiv:2607.07041 where we apply the effective theory to a Fermi fluid of ultracold atoms.
The object of this thesis is to study the definition and the mathematically rigorous derivation of effective models in many body quantum mechanics. In this field, it is often impossible to compte exactly physically relevant quantities - such as the ground state energy of a system - because of the large number of degrees of freedom. Hence, introducing effective models (depending only on the local density of particles for instance) allows us to compute these quantities. Then, it remains to check that the effective model is indeed an approximation of the exact model in a macroscopic limit. Besides, in some models, some physical quantities (energy, scattering amplitude...), when computed naively, appear to be infinite. One has then to renormalize the theory in order to make these divergences (that are not observed experimentally) disappear. After putting the results of this thesis into context in the introduction, we will focus on the renormalization of a bosonic quadratic Hamiltonian on the Fock space in Chapter 2. This (formal) Hamiltonian is the sum of the second quantization of a one-particle operator and the square of a field operator, and it exhibits an ultraviolet divergence (i.e. coming from local singularities). More accurately, we will try to define a self-adjoint operator, and to show that it is the limit (in the resolvent sense) of the Hamiltonian with ultraviolet cutoff when the cutoff tends to infinity. To do so, we will first diagonalize the Hamiltonian in the regular case, using Bogoliubov transformations. Then, we will prove that the diagonalized Hamiltonian (up to a renormalization of the energy and the charge) still defines a self-adjoint, and we will show the convergence of the Hamiltonian with cut-off. In a second time, we will study the semi-classical limit of a Fermi gas, in two different scalings. In Chapter 3, we will focus on the dilute limite (i.e. with an interaction range very small compared to the typical distance between particles) of an inhomogeneous (trapped with a potential V) Fermi gas, with repulsive interactions and in three dimensions. Due to the Pauli exclusion principle, two fermions of same spin can only rarely be close enough to interact. Thus, we will consider a Fermi gas with two spin components. We will then show that the ground state energy of such a system can be approximated by a Thomas-Fermi energy (in which interactions play the role of a perturbation of the interactionless energy) in the large number of particles limit. Eventually, in Chapter 4, we will study the mean-field limit (with frequent but weak interactions) of an inhomogeneous Fermi gas, with attractive interactions and in one or two dimensions this time. Once more, we will show the convergence of the ground state energy toward a Thomas-Fermi energy. Moreover, we will also prove the convergence of the ground states. More accurately, we will show that the Husimi functions of these ground states converge to a convex combination of minimizers of the Vlasov energy.
Using a continuous unitary transformation recently proposed by Wegner \cite{Wegner} together with an approximation that neglects irrelevant contributions, we obtain flow equations for Hamiltonians. These flow equations yield a diagonal or almost diagonal Hamiltonian. As an example we investigate the Anderson Hamiltonian for dilute magnetic alloys. We study the different fixed points of the flow equations and the corresponding relevant, marginal or irrelevant contributions. Our results are consistent with results obtained by a numerical renormalization group method, but our approach is considerably simpler.
Despite the advances in the development of numerical methods analytical approaches still play the key role on the way towards a deeper understanding of many-particle systems. In this regard, diagonalization schemes for Hamiltonians represent an important direction in the field. Among these techniques the method, presented here, might be that approach with the widest range of possible applications: We demonstrate that both stepwise and continuous unitary transformations to diagonalize the many-particle Hamiltonian as well as perturbation theory and also nonperturbative treatments can be understood within the same theoretical framework. The new method is based on the introduction of generalized projection operators and allows us to develop a renormalization scheme which is used to evaluate directly the physical quantities of a many-particle system. The applicability of this approach is shown for two important elementary many-particle problems.