Thermodynamics of correlated electrons in a magnetic field

• Published in: Communications physics Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Ding, Jixun K., Wang, Wen O., Moritz, Brian, Schattner, Yoni, Huang, Edwin W., Devereaux, Thomas P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 10.08.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Springer Nature; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/766/119; 639/766/119/995; Algorithms; Banded structure; Compressibility; Computer simulation; condensed matter physics; CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; Couplings; electronic materials; electronic properties; Electrons; Fermions; Magnetic fields; Magnetic structure; Phase diagrams; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Structure factor; Thermodynamic properties; Thermodynamics; Two dimensional models
• ISSN: 2399-3650; 2399-3650
• DOI: 10.1038/s42005-022-00968-2

The Hofstadter–Hubbard model captures the physics of strongly correlated electrons in an applied magnetic field, which is relevant to many recent experiments on Moiré materials. Few large-scale, numerically exact simulations exists for this model. In this work, we simulate the Hubbard–Hofstadter model using the determinant quantum Monte Carlo (DQMC) algorithm. We report the field and Hubbard interaction strength dependence of charge compressibility, fermion sign, local moment, magnetic structure factor, and specific heat. The gross structure of magnetic Bloch bands and band gaps determined by the non-interacting Hofstadter spectrum is preserved in the presence of U . Incompressible regions of the phase diagram have improved fermion sign. At half filling and intermediate and larger couplings, a strong orbital magnetic field delocalizes electrons and reduces the effect of Hubbard U on thermodynamic properties of the system. The Hofstadter–Hubbard model on 2D square lattices is a paradigmatic model to study the interplay of electron correlations and external magnetic field. The authors use quantum Monte Carlo to study the thermodynamic properties of the Hofstadter Hamiltonian at intermediate to strong coupling, finding that a strong orbital magnetic field delocalizes electrons and reduces the effective Hubbard interaction.