Spin-triplet pairing instability in a two-dimensional repulsive Hubbard model

TL;DR

This study uses numerically exact methods to demonstrate spin-triplet p-wave pairing instability in a 2D repulsive Hubbard model near a type-II van Hove singularity, highlighting ferromagnetic correlations as a key factor.

Contribution

It provides the first unbiased numerical evidence of spin-triplet p-wave pairing in a 2D repulsive Hubbard model near a type-II vHs, incorporating next-nearest and third-nearest neighbor hoppings.

Findings

Evidence of spin-triplet p-wave pairing instability at low temperatures.

Enhanced ferromagnetic correlations near the type-II vHs.

Pairing tendency increases with interaction strength.

Abstract

The search for superconductivity with unconventional pairing symmetry has been a central focus in the study of strongly correlated electron systems. In this work, we report a numerically exact study of the spin-triplet pairing in a two-dimensional Hubbard model with repulsive interactions, employing Determinant Quantum Monte Carlo method. The model includes next-nearest-neighbor and third-nearest-neighbor hopping terms, and maintains spin balance. By tuning the fermion filling close to a type-II van Hove singularity (vHs) in the model, we numerically investigate the ordering tendencies of several possible pairing channels with different symmetries. Our numerical results provide clear evidence for the spin-triplet $p$-wave pairing instability approaching low temperatures, as revealed by the vertex contribution to the pairing susceptibility. This signature becomes increasingly pronounced as the interaction strength increases in the weak to intermediate regime. We further find that, near the type-II vHs, the dominant spin-spin correlations in the system are ferromagnetic, suggesting its close relation to the spin-triplet pairing instability. Our findings offer a reliable approach to realize the spin-triplet $p$-wave superfluidity in the repulsive Hubbard model, from an unbiased numerical perspective.