We develop a unified theoretical framework for the anisotropic Kondo model and the boundary sine-Gordon model. They are both boundary integrable quantum field theories with a quantum-group spin at the boundary which takes values, respectively, in standard or cyclic representations of the quantum groupSU(2) q. This unification is powerful, and allows us to find new results for both models. For the anisotropic Kondo problem, we find exact expressions (in the presence of a magnetic field) for all the coefficients in the Anderson-Yuval perturbative expansion. Our expressions hold initially in the very anisotropic regime, but we show how to continue them beyond the Toulouse point all the way to the isotropic point using an analog of dimensional regularization. The analytic structure is transparent, involving only simple poles which we determine exactly, together with their residues. For the boundary sine-Gordon model, which describes an impurity in a Luttinger liquid, we find the nonequilibrium conductance for all values of the Luttinger coupling. This is an intricate computation because the voltage operator and the boundary scattering do not commute with each other.We develop a unified theoretical framework for the anisotropic Kondo model and the boundary sine-Gordon model. They are both boundary integrable quantum field theories with a quantum-group spin at the boundary which takes values, respectively, in standard or cyclic representations of the quantum groupSU(2) q. This unification is powerful, and allows us to find new results for both models. For the anisotropic Kondo problem, we find exact expressions (in the presence of a magnetic field) for all the coefficients in the Anderson-Yuval perturbative expansion. Our expressions hold initially in the very anisotropic regime, but we show how to continue them beyond the Toulouse point all the way to the isotropic point using an analog of dimensional regularization. The analytic structure is transparent, involving only simple poles which we determine exactly, together with their residues. For the boundary sine-Gordon model, which describes an impurity in a Luttinger liquid, we find the nonequilibrium conductance for all values of the Luttinger coupling. This is an intricate computation because the voltage operator and the boundary scattering do not commute with each other.

Jul 30, 201346 citations

Exactly solvable Kondo problem in the open $t-J$ chainsExactly solvable Kondo problem in the open $t-J$ chains

Jianhui Dai, Yupeng Wang

We study the problem of a boundary magnetic impurity coupled with the solvable $t-J$ chains. Our model provides a good start point to understand the Kondo problem in a Luttinger liquid as well as in a strongly correlated host. The Kondo coupling constant $J$ can take arbitrary values, which allows us to study the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Kondo problems simultaneously. It is shown that both the Kondo coupling and the scalar potential effectively reconcile the spin dynamics at low temperatures. Generally, the impurity spin is split into two ghost spins via coupling effect. The residual entropy, which can be exactly derived for the present model, is strongly interaction-dependent. This hints the local spin configuration is very complicated and very different from that in the conventional Kondo problem. An unscreening phenomenon in the antiferromagnetic regime is found, which reveals the impurity potential plays an important role for the Kondo problem in a strongly correlated host. The low temperature specific heat is calculated in the framework of local Landau-Luttinger liquid theory.We study the problem of a boundary magnetic impurity coupled with the solvable $t-J$ chains. Our model provides a good start point to understand the Kondo problem in a Luttinger liquid as well as in a strongly correlated host. The Kondo coupling constant $J$ can take arbitrary values, which allows us to study the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Kondo problems simultaneously. It is shown that both the Kondo coupling and the scalar potential effectively reconcile the spin dynamics at low temperatures. Generally, the impurity spin is split into two ghost spins via coupling effect. The residual entropy, which can be exactly derived for the present model, is strongly interaction-dependent. This hints the local spin configuration is very complicated and very different from that in the conventional Kondo problem. An unscreening phenomenon in the antiferromagnetic regime is found, which reveals the impurity potential plays an important role for the Kondo problem in a strongly correlated host. The low temperature specific heat is calculated in the framework of local Landau-Luttinger liquid theory.

arXiv:cond-mat/9809008Sep 1, 19980 citations

TWO KONDO IMPURITY PROBLEM: RELEVANCE TO HEAVY FERMIONS

Barbara Jones, C. M. Varma

Elsevier eBooksJan 1, 19871 citation

Low energy Fermi liquid approach for the Kondo problem

Christophe Mora

Jan 1, 20080 citations

Quantum Impurity Problems in Condensed Matter Physics

Ian K. Affleck

Impurities are ubiquitous in condensed matter. Boundary Conformal Field Theory (BCFT) provides a powerful method to study a localized quantum impurity interacting with a gapless continuum of excitations. The results can also be implied to nanoscopic devices like quantum dots. In these lecture notes, I review this field, including the following topics: I. General Renormalization Group (RG) framework for quantum impurity problems: example of simplest Kondo model II. Multi-channel Kondo model III. Quantum Dots: experimental realizations of one and two channel Kondo models IV. Impurities in Luttinger liquids: point contact in a quantum wire V. Quantum impurity entanglement entropy VI. Y-junctions of Luttinger liquids VII. Boundary condition changing operators and the X-ray edge problem.Impurities are ubiquitous in condensed matter. Boundary Conformal Field Theory (BCFT) provides a powerful method to study a localized quantum impurity interacting with a gapless continuum of excitations. The results can also be implied to nanoscopic devices like quantum dots. In these lecture notes, I review this field, including the following topics: I. General Renormalization Group (RG) framework for quantum impurity problems: example of simplest Kondo model II. Multi-channel Kondo model III. Quantum Dots: experimental realizations of one and two channel Kondo models IV. Impurities in Luttinger liquids: point contact in a quantum wire V. Quantum impurity entanglement entropy VI. Y-junctions of Luttinger liquids VII. Boundary condition changing operators and the X-ray edge problem.

arXiv:0809.3474Sep 20, 200835 citations

Exactly solvable Kondo problem in the open

t-J

chains

We study the problem of a boundary magnetic impurity coupled with the solvable

t-J

chains. Our model provides a good start point to understand the Kondo problem in a Luttinger liquid as well as in a strongly correlated host. The Kondo coupling constant

J

can take arbitrary values, which allows us to study the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Kondo problems simultaneously. It is shown that both the Kondo coupling and the scalar potential effectively reconcile the spin dynamics at low temperatures. Generally, the impurity spin is split into two ghost spins via coupling effect. The residual entropy, which can be exactly derived for the present model, is strongly interaction-dependent. This hints the local spin configuration is very complicated and very different from that in the conventional Kondo problem. An unscreening phenomenon in the antiferromagnetic regime is found, which reveals the impurity potential plays an important role for the Kondo problem in a strongly correlated host. The low temperature specific heat is calculated in the framework of local Landau-Luttinger liquid theory.