Variational study of strongly correlated electronic models

The discovery of high-Tc superconductivity in the cuprates, and the observation that strong correlations are important in connection with these compounds has led to a tremendous interest in understanding the physics of strongly correlated electronic models. In particular the two simplest models for strongly correlated electrons, namely the Hubbard and t−J models, have been the subject of in- tensive studies. In a milestone paper of 1987, P.W. Anderson proposed that a resonating valence bond (RVB) wave-function, which consists of a superposition of valence-bond states, contains the ingredients to account for a consistent theory of the Hubbard and t−J models. Motivated by the success of variational Monte- Carlo to describe some of the peculiar properties of the cuprates, we propose in this dissertation, on one hand, to extend the method to further strongly corre- lated models to describe other compounds such as graphene, carbon nanotube or the cobaltite compounds, and on the other hand we propose to focus on the pseudo-gap phase of the cuprates, which is still prompting for a consistent the- ory. In particular, the issue of checkerboard spatial modulations in the density of states in the low temperature regime of the cuprates is addressed. Finally, we have studied the possibility for spontaneous orbital currents in the cuprates, that might play a key role in the theory of high Tc superconductors.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Science

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Weber, Cedric

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/810406de-a711-44e7-add9-d40c4230d372

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kclpure.kcl.ac.uk:studenttheses/810406de-a711-44e7-add9-d40c4230d372