Breakdown of the periodic potential ansatz in correlated electron systems

Fuente: arXiv
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Autore principale: Montfrooij, Wouter
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Montfrooij, Wouter
author_facet Montfrooij, Wouter
contents Our electronic structure theory for crystalline solids is commonly built on the periodic potential assumption $V(\mathbf r)=V(\mathbf r+\mathbf R)$ for every lattice translation $\mathbf R$, enabling Bloch eigenstates, crystal momentum as a good quantum number, and the standard quasiparticle-based description of the behavior of metals. Because the zero-point motion of the ions, however, in correlated electron systems the electronic environment experienced by an itinerant electron is neither static nor self-averaging at the single-particle level, even in perfectly stoichiometric crystals, leading to a distribution of local Kondo scales that spans two orders of magnitude in temperature. We discuss, through a comparison between uniform scenarios and one that breaks with perfect lattice translational symmetry, how incorporating this distribution yields a unified description for all heavy-fermion systems at the quantum critical point.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_24347
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Breakdown of the periodic potential ansatz in correlated electron systems
Montfrooij, Wouter
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Quantum Physics
Our electronic structure theory for crystalline solids is commonly built on the periodic potential assumption $V(\mathbf r)=V(\mathbf r+\mathbf R)$ for every lattice translation $\mathbf R$, enabling Bloch eigenstates, crystal momentum as a good quantum number, and the standard quasiparticle-based description of the behavior of metals. Because the zero-point motion of the ions, however, in correlated electron systems the electronic environment experienced by an itinerant electron is neither static nor self-averaging at the single-particle level, even in perfectly stoichiometric crystals, leading to a distribution of local Kondo scales that spans two orders of magnitude in temperature. We discuss, through a comparison between uniform scenarios and one that breaks with perfect lattice translational symmetry, how incorporating this distribution yields a unified description for all heavy-fermion systems at the quantum critical point.
title Breakdown of the periodic potential ansatz in correlated electron systems
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.24347