Identifier

etd-03272015-172840

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Document Type

Dissertation

Abstract

This work is devoted to the development of a systematic method for studying electron localization. The developed method is Typical Medium Dynamical Cluster Approximation (TMDCA) using the Anderson-Hubbard model. The TMDCA incorporates non-local correlations beyond the local typical environment in a self-consistent way utilizing the momentum resolved typical-density-of-states and the non-local hybridization function to characterize the localization transition. For the (non-interacting) Anderson model, I show that the TMDCA provides a proper description of the Anderson localization transition in one, two, and three dimensions. In three-dimensions, as a function of cluster size, the TMDCA systematically recovers the re-entrance behavior of the mobility edge and obtains the correct critical disorder strength for the various disorder configurations and the associated \textit{universal order-parameter-critical-exponent} $\beta$ and in lower-dimensions, the well-knowing scaling relations are reproduced in agreement with numerical exact results. The TMDCA is also extended to treat diagonal and off-diagonal disorder by generalizing the local Blackman-Esterling-Berk and the importance of finite cluster is demonstrated. It was further generalized for multiband systems. Applying the TMDCA to weakly interaction electronic systems, I show that incorporating Coulomb interactions into disordered electron system result in two competing tendencies: the suppression of the current due to correlations and the screening of the disorder leading to the homogenizing of the system. It is shown that the critical disorder strength ($W_c^U$), required to localize all states, increases with increasing interactions ($U$); implying that the metallic phase is stabilized by interactions. Using the results, a soft pseudogap at the intermediate $W$ close to $W_c^U$ is predicted independent of filling and dimension, and I demonstrate in three-dimensions that the mobility edge is preserved as long as the chemical potential, $\mu$, is at or beyond the mobility edge energy ($\omega_\epsilon$). A two-particle formalism of electron localization is also developed within the TMDCA and used to calculate the direct-current conductivity, enabling direct comparison with experiments. Note significantly, the TMDCA benchmarks well with numerical exact results with a dramatic reduction in computational cost, enabling the incorporation of material's specific details as such provide an avenue for the possibility of studying electron localization in real materials.

Date

2015

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Secure the entire work for patent and/or proprietary purposes for a period of one year. Student has submitted appropriate documentation which states: During this period the copyright owner also agrees not to exercise her/his ownership rights, including public use in works, without prior authorization from LSU. At the end of the one year period, either we or LSU may request an automatic extension for one additional year. At the end of the one year secure period (or its extension, if such is requested), the work will be released for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Jarrell, Mark

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.2391

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