Universal crossovers and critical dynamics of quantum phase transitions: A renormalization group study of the pseudogap Kondo problem

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Lars Fritz - , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, University of Cologne (Author)
  • Serge Florens - , Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Author)
  • Matthias Vojta - , University of Cologne (Author)

Abstract

The pseudogap Kondo problem, describing a magnetic impurity embedded in an electronic environment with a power-law density of states, displays continuous quantum phase transitions between free and screened moment phases. In this paper we employ renormalization group techniques to analytically calculate universal crossover functions, associated to these transitions, for various observables. Quantitative agreement with the results of Numerical Renormalization Group (NRG) simulations is obtained for temperature-dependent static and zero-temperature dynamic quantities, at and away from criticality. In the notoriously difficult realm of finite-temperature low-frequency dynamics, usually inaccessible to both NRG and perturbative methods, we show that progress can be made by a suitable renormalization procedure in the framework of the Callan-Symanzik equations. Our general strategy can be extended to other zero-temperature phase transitions, both in quantum impurity models and bulk systems.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number144410
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume74
Issue number14
Publication statusPublished - 2006
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes