Nature of the Quantum Phase Transition to a Spin-Nematic Phase

作者:Kirkpatrick T R*; Belitz D
来源:Physical Review Letters, 2011, 106(10): 105701.
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.105701

摘要

It is shown that the quantum phase transition in metallic non-s-wave ferromagnets, or spin nematics, is generically of first order. This is due to a coupling of the order parameter to soft electronic modes that play a role analogous to that of the electromagnetic vector potential in a superconductor, which leads to a fluctuation-induced first-order transition. A generalized mean-field theory for the p-wave case is constructed that explicitly shows this effect. Tricritical wings are predicted to appear in the phase diagram in a spatially varying magnetic field, but not in a homogeneous one.

  • 出版日期2011-3-7