Quantum theory of a nematic Fermi fluid

By V. Oganesyan, Steven A. Kivelson, E. Fradkin. 2001

335 citations recorded by the source corpus.

We develop a microscopic theory of the electronic nematic phase proximate to an isotropic Fermi liquid in both two and three dimensions. Explicit expressions are obtained for the small amplitude collective excitations in the ordered state; remarkably, the nematic Goldstone mode (the director wave) is overdamped except along special directions dictated by symmetry. At the quantum critical point we find a dynamical exponent of $z=3,$ implying stability of the Gaussian fixed point. The leading perturbative effect of the overdamped Goldstone modes leads to a breakdown of Fermi-liquid theory in the nematic phase and to strongly angle-dependent electronic self energies around the Fermi surface. Other metallic liquid-crystal phases, e.g., a quantum hexatic, behave analogously.

Subfields: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Condensed Matter Physics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/6b7745670850769cf09eab18129d2e02d6d8e0f4

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

1. M. Vojta
2. Achim Rosch
3. H. Lohneysen
4. P. Wolfle

In Condensed Matter Physics

1. M. Vojta
2. Achim Rosch
3. H. Lohneysen
4. P. Wolfle
5. Piers Coleman

Citations in the corpus

• Fermi-liquid instabilities at magnetic quantum phase transitions (2006, background): “…not aware of any promising candidate for such a fixed point of a metal in d = 3 (with the exception of gauge field theories, see Holstein, Norton, and Pincus 1973; Varma, Nussinov, and van Saarloos 2002, or metallic states with liquid-crystal-like order, see Oganesyan, Kivelson, and Fradkin 2001).”
• Lectures on holographic methods for condensed matter physics (2009, neutral): “[44, 45].”