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Title: Effect of nonmagnetic disorder on criticality in the dirty U(1) spin liquid

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
 [1]
  1. Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 130-012 (Korea, Republic of)

We investigate the effect of nonmagnetic disorder on the stability of the algebraic spin liquid (ASL) by deriving an effective field theory, nonlinear {sigma} model (NL{sigma}M). We find that the anomalous critical exponent characterizing the criticality of the ASL causes an anomalous gradient in the NL{sigma}M. We show that the sign of the anomalous gradient exponent or the critical exponent of the ASL determines the stability of the 'dirty' ASL. A positive exponent results in an unstable fixed point separating delocalized and localized phases, which is consistent with our previous study [Phys. Rev. B 70, 140405 (2004)]. We find power-law suppression for the density of spinon states in contrast to the logarithmic correction in the free Dirac theory. On the other hand, a negative exponent destabilizes the ASL, causing the Anderson localization. We discuss the implication of our study in the pseudogap phase of high T{sub c} cuprates.

OSTI ID:
20719108
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 72, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.72.014406; (c) 2005 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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