Reentrant localisation transitions and anomalous spectral properties in off-diagonal quasiperiodic systems

TL;DR

This paper studies a quasiperiodic off-diagonal model that interpolates between two well-known models, revealing reentrant localisation transitions and spectral properties, with implications for understanding phase transitions in quasiperiodic systems.

Contribution

It introduces a controllable off-diagonal quasiperiodic model and uncovers reentrant localisation transitions linked to symmetry points, expanding knowledge of phase behavior in such systems.

Findings

Spectrum divides into three bands with distinct properties.

Reentrant localisation transitions occur in molecular bands.

Middle band states remain extended or critical, not localised.

Abstract

We investigate the localisation properties of quasiperiodic tight-binding chains with hopping terms modulated by the interpolating Aubry-Andr\'e-Fibonacci (IAAF) function. This off-diagonal IAAF model allows for a smooth and controllable interpolation between two paradigmatic quasiperiodic models: the Aubry-Andr\'e and the Fibonacci model. Our analysis shows that the spectrum of this model can be divided into three principal bands, namely, two molecular bands at the edge of the spectrum and one atomic band in the middle, for all values of the interpolating parameter. We reveal that the states in the molecular bands undergo multiple re-entrant localisation transitions, a behaviour previously reported in the diagonal IAAF model. We link the emergence of these reentrant phenomena to symmetry points of the quasiperiodic modulation and, with that, explain the main ground state properties of the system. The atomic states in the middle band show no traces of localised phases and remain either extended or critical for any value of the interpolating parameter. Using a renormalisation group approach, adapted from the Fibonacci model, we explain the extended nature of the middle band. These findings expand our knowledge of phase transitions within quasiperiodic systems and highlight the interplay between extended, critical, and localised states.