Effect of short-range interactions on the quantum critical behavior of spinless fermions on the honeycomb lattice

TL;DR

This paper investigates how short-range interactions influence the quantum critical behavior of spinless fermions on a honeycomb lattice, revealing a new universality class with unique critical exponents.

Contribution

It introduces a functional renormalization group analysis of a matrix Yukawa model for spinless electrons, identifying a novel universality class for the quantum phase transition.

Findings

Identifies a continuous phase transition with large anomalous dimensions.

Discovers a new universality class distinct from Gross-Neveu models.

Provides critical exponents characterizing the transition.

Abstract

We present a functional renormalization group investigation of an Euclidean three-dimensional matrix Yukawa model with U(N) symmetry, which describes N = 2 Weyl fermions that effectively interact via a short-range repulsive interaction. This system relates to an effective low-energy theory of spinless electrons on the honeycomb lattice and can be seen as a simple model for suspended graphene. We find a continuous phase transition characterized by large anomalous dimensions for the fermions and composite degrees of freedom. The critical exponents define a new universality class distinct from Gross-Neveu type models, typically considered in this context.