Network model for periodically strained graphene

in Physical Review. B (2023), 107

The long-wavelength physics of monolayer graphene in the presence of periodic strain fields has a natural chiral scattering network description. When the strain field varies slowly compared to the ... [more ▼]

The long-wavelength physics of monolayer graphene in the presence of periodic strain fields has a natural chiral scattering network description. When the strain field varies slowly compared to the graphene lattice and the effective magnetic length of the induced valley pseudomagnetic field, the low-energy physics can be understood in terms of valley-polarized percolating domain-wall modes. Inspired by a recent experiment, we consider a strain field with threefold rotation and mirror sym- metries but without twofold rotation symmetry, resulting in a system with the connectivity of the oriented kagome network. Scattering processes in this network are captured by a symmetry- constrained phenomenological S matrix. We analyze the phase diagram of the kagome network, and show that the bulk physics of the strained graphene can be qualitatively captured by the network when we account for a percolation transition at charge neutrality. We also discuss the limitations of this approach to properly account for boundary physics. [less ▲]

Excitonic-insulator instability and Peierls distortion in one-dimensional semimetals

in Physical Review. B (2022), 105(7), 075122

The charge density wave instability in one-dimensional semimetals is usually explained through a Peierls-like mechanism, where the coupling of electrons and phonons induces a periodic lattice distortion ... [more ▼]

The charge density wave instability in one-dimensional semimetals is usually explained through a Peierls-like mechanism, where the coupling of electrons and phonons induces a periodic lattice distortion along certain modes of vibration, leading to a gap opening in the electronic band structure and to a lowering of the symmetry of the lattice. In this work, we study two prototypical Peierls systems: the one-dimensional carbon chain and the monatomic hydrogen chain with accurate ab initio calculations based on quantum Monte Carlo and hybrid density functional theory. We demonstrate that in one-dimensional semimetals at T=0, a purely electronic instability can exist independently of a lattice distortion. It is induced by spontaneous formation of low energy electron-hole pairs resulting in the electronic band gap opening, i.e., the destabilization of the semimetallic phase is due to an excitonic mechanism. [less ▲]

Origin of negative electrocaloric effect in Pnma-type antiferroelectric perovskites

in Physical Review. B (2022)

Effects of topological band structure on thermoelectric transport of bismuthene

in Physical Review. B (2021), 104(20), 205105

Two-dimensional bismuth (Bi) layer, known as bismuthene, exhibits Z2 topological bulk states due to large spin-orbit coupling that inverts the bands. Using the tight-binding method, we calculate the band ... [more ▼]

Two-dimensional bismuth (Bi) layer, known as bismuthene, exhibits Z2 topological bulk states due to large spin-orbit coupling that inverts the bands. Using the tight-binding method, we calculate the band structure of buckled bismuthene to understand its topological and trivial phases. We determine the thermoelectric properties for some considered phases, incorporating the edge states contribution, by using the linearized Boltzmann transport equation with a constant relaxation time approximation. It is shown that the thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT, actually drops in undoped topological bismuthene due to the edge effects. Surprisingly, the topological edge states enhance ZT at large doping with the Fermi energy near the bottom of bulk bands when bismuthene is nearly metallic. [less ▲]

Kerr effect in tilted nodal loop semimetals

in Physical Review. B (2021), 104(12), 125411

We investigate the optical activity of tilted nodal loop semimetals. We calculate the full conductivity matrix for a band structure containing a nodal loop with possible tilt in the x−y plane, which ... [more ▼]

We investigate the optical activity of tilted nodal loop semimetals. We calculate the full conductivity matrix for a band structure containing a nodal loop with possible tilt in the x−y plane, which allows us to study the Kerr rotation and ellipticity both for a thin film and a bulk material. We find signatures in the Kerr signal that give direct information about the tilt velocity and direction, the radius of the nodal loop and the internal chemical potential of the system. These findings should serve as guide to understanding optical measurements of nodal loop semimetals and as an additional tool to characterize them. [less ▲]

Electron hydrodynamics of anomalous Hall materials

in Physical Review. B (2021), 103(12), 125106

We study two-dimensional electron systems in the hydrodynamic regime. We show that a geometrical Berry curvature modifies the effective Navier-Stokes equation for viscous electron flow in topological ... [more ▼]

We study two-dimensional electron systems in the hydrodynamic regime. We show that a geometrical Berry curvature modifies the effective Navier-Stokes equation for viscous electron flow in topological materials. For small electric fields, the Hall current becomes negligible compared to the viscous longitudinal current. In this regime, we highlight an unconventional Poiseuille flow with an asymmetric profile and a deviation of the maximum of the current from the center of the system. In a two-dimensional infinite geometry, the Berry curvature leads to current whirlpools and an asymmetry of potential profile. This phenomenon can be probed by measuring the asymmetric non-local resistance profile. [less ▲]

Electronic structure of TiSe2 from a quasi-self-consistent G0W0 approach

in Physical Review. B (2021), 103

n a previous work, it was shown that the inclusion of exact exchange is essential for a first-principles description of both the electronic and the vibrational properties of TiSe2, M. Hellgren et al ... [more ▼]

n a previous work, it was shown that the inclusion of exact exchange is essential for a first-principles description of both the electronic and the vibrational properties of TiSe2, M. Hellgren et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 176401 (2017)]. The GW approximation provides a parameter-free description of screened exchange but is usually employed perturbatively (G0W0), making results more or less dependent on the starting point. In this work, we develop a quasi-self-consistent extension of G0W0 based on the random phase approximation (RPA) and the optimized effective potential of hybrid density functional theory. This approach generates an optimal G0W0 starting point and a hybrid exchange parameter consistent with the RPA. While self-consistency plays a minor role for systems such as Ar, BN, and ScN, it is shown to be crucial for TiS2 and TiSe2. We find the high-temperature phase of TiSe2 to be a semimetal with a band structure in good agreement with experiment. Furthermore, the optimized hybrid functional agrees well with our previous estimate and therefore accurately reproduces the low-temperature charge-density-wave phase. [less ▲]

First-principles description of the exciton-phonon interaction: A cumulant approach

in Physical Review. B (2020), 102

Electron-phonon coupling leads to intriguing effects in the spectra of materials. Current approximations to calculate spectra most often describe this coupling insufficiently. Starting from basic ... [more ▼]

Electron-phonon coupling leads to intriguing effects in the spectra of materials. Current approximations to calculate spectra most often describe this coupling insufficiently. Starting from basic equations of many-body perturbation theory, we derived a cumulant formulation for neutral excitation spectra that contains excitonic effects and the coupling between excitons and phonons. The cumulant approach allows us to include dynamical effects arising from the electron-phonon coupling in a simple and intuitive way. It can be implemented as a postprocessing of state-of-the-art GW-plus-Bethe-Salpeter calculation of excitonic states and a density functional perturbation theory calculation of phonons and electron-phonon coupling. We demonstrate that, in order to obtain a consistent treatment of exciton-phonon coupling, diagrams have to be taken into account that can be neglected when the effect of lattice vibrations is treated in a static or quasistatic approximation. From the application of this approach to a model system, we analyzed the main features of the exciton-phonon interaction and provided a general picture of their link with the properties of materials such as exciton mass and exciton Bohr radius. [less ▲]

Phonon coupling and shallow defects in CuInS2

in Physical Review. B (2020), 101(8), 085119-

Ion-induced interactions in a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid

in Physical Review. B (2019), 100(20),

We investigate the physics of a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid of spin-polarized fermions superimposed on an ion chain. This compound system features (attractive) long-range interspecies interactions. By means ... [more ▼]

We investigate the physics of a Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid of spin-polarized fermions superimposed on an ion chain. This compound system features (attractive) long-range interspecies interactions. By means of density matrix renormalization group techniques we compute the Tomonaga-Luttinger-liquid parameter and speed of sound as a function of the relative atom/ion density and the two quantum defect parameters, namely, the even and odd short-range phases which characterize the short-range part of the atom-ion polarization potential. The presence of ions is found to allow critical tuning of the atom-atom interaction, and the properties of the system are found to depend significantly on the short-range phases due to the atom-ion interaction. These latter dependencies can be controlled, for instance, by manipulating the ions' internal state. This allows modification of the static properties of the quantum liquid via external driving of the ionic impurities. [less ▲]