Quantum Metamagnetic Transitions Induced by Changes in Fermi-Surface Topology -Applications to a Weak Itinerant-Electron Ferromagnet;ZrZn_2

TL;DR

This paper investigates quantum metamagnetic transitions influenced by Fermi-surface topology changes, revealing an unconventional universality near a marginal quantum critical point, with implications for understanding ZrZn_2's magnetic behavior.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a marginal quantum critical point affecting metamagnetic transitions and links topological Fermi-surface changes to unique critical phenomena in ZrZn_2.

Findings

Unconventional universality emerges near the MQCP.

Diverging slope of inverse magnetic susceptibility at the transition.

Application of theory to explain ZrZn_2's metamagnetic transition.

Abstract

We clarify that metamagnetic transitions in three dimensions show unusual properties as quantum phase transitions if they are accompanied by changes in Fermi-surface topology. An unconventional universality deeply affected by the topological nature of Lifshitz-type transitions emerges around the marginal quantum critical point (MQCP). Here the MQCP is defined by the meeting point of the finite temperature critical line and a quantum critical line running on the zero temperature plane. The MQCP offers a marked contrast with the Ising universality and the gas-liquid-type criticality satisfied for conventional metamagnetic transitions. At the MQCP, the inverse magnetic susceptibility chi^-1 has diverging slope as a function of the magnetization m (namely, | d chi^-1/d m | -> infty) in one side of the transition, which should not occur in any conventional quantum critical phenomena. The exponent of the divergence can be estimated even at finite temperatures. We propose that such an unconventional universality indeed accounts for the metamagnetic transition in ZrZn_2.