Theory of Quantum Phase Transition in Iron-based Superconductors with Half-Dirac Nodal Electron Fermi Surface

TL;DR

This paper develops a low-energy theory for quantum phase transitions in iron-based superconductors with half-Dirac nodes, revealing a second-order nematic transition with relativistic dynamics and spectral peak modifications at the critical point.

Contribution

It introduces a novel effective theory for half-Dirac fermions coupled to nematic order, analyzing RG flows and fixed points, and explains structural phase transitions and spectral phenomena in these materials.

Findings

RG flow leads to a stable Gaussian fixed point with second-order transition.

Emergent relativistic dynamics with dynamical critical exponent z=1.

Spectral function exhibits peak collapse and splitting at the nematic QCP.

Abstract

The quantum phase transition in iron-based superconductors with 'half-Dirac' node at the electron Fermi surface as a $T=0$ structural phase transition described in terms of nematic order is discussed. An effective low energy theory that describes half-Dirac nodal Fermions and their coupling to Ising nematic order that describes the phase transition is derived and analyzed using renormalization group (RG) study of the large-$N_f$ version of the theory. The inherent absence of Lorentz invariance of the theory leads to RG flow structure where the velocities $v_F$ and $v_\Delta$ at the paired half-Dirac nodes ($1\overline{1}$ and $2\overline{2}$) in general flow differently under RG, implying that the nodal electron gap is deformed and the $C_4$ symmetry is broken, explaining the structural (orthogonal to orthorhombic) phase transition at the quantum critical point (QCP). The theory is found to have Gaussian fixed point $\lambda^*=0, (v_{\Delta}/v_F)^*=0$ with stable flow lines toward it, suggesting a second order nematic phase transition. Interpreting the fermion-Ising nematic boson interaction as a decay process of nematic Ising order parameter scalar field fluctuations into half-Dirac nodal fermions, I find that the theory surprisingly behaves as systems with dynamical critical exponent $z = 1$, reflecting undamped quantum critical dynamics and emergent fully relativistic field theory arising from the non(fully)-relativistic field theory and is direct consequence of $(v_{\Delta}/v_F)^*=0$ fixed point. The nematic critical fluctuations lead to remarkable change to the spectral function peak where at a critical point $\lambda_c$, directly related to nematic QCP, the central spectral peak collapses and splits into satellite spectral peaks around nodal point. The vanishing of the zero modes density of states leads to the undamped $z=1$ quantum critical dynamics.