Rajesh Narayanan

Bio: Rajesh Narayanan is an academic researcher from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The author has contributed to research in topics: Quantum phase transition & Phase transition. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 47 publications receiving 549 citations. Previous affiliations of Rajesh Narayanan include Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics & University of Hong Kong.

Localized zero-energy modes in the Kitaev model with vacancy disorder

Abstract: We study the effects of vacancy disorder on the Kitaev model defined on a hexagonal lattice. We show that the vacancy disorder induces a zero mode that is localized at the defect site. We derive analytical forms for these localized wave functions in both the gapped and gapless phases of the Kitaev model. We conjecture that the vacancy disorder can be utilized as a probe of the quantum phase transition (from the gapped to gapless phases) in this model. The behavior of the inverse participation ratio in the gapless phase and across the transition is also studied numerically. Comments are made about the behavior of site-site entanglement in the single-particle states for the case of a single vacancy.

Critical behavior of disordered quantum magnets: The relevance of rare regions

Abstract: The effects of quenched disorder on the critical properties of itinerant quantum antiferromagnets and ferromagnets are considered. Particular attention is paid to locally ordered spatial regions that are formed in the presence of quenched disorder even when the bulk system is still in the paramagnetic phase. These rare regions or local moments are reflected in the existence of spatially inhomogeneous saddle points of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson functional. We derive an effective theory that takes into account small fluctuations around all of these saddle points. The resulting free energy functional contains a new term in addition to those obtained within the conventional perturbative approach, and it comprises what would be considered non-perturbative effects within the latter. A renormalization group analysis shows that in the case of antiferromagnets, the previously found critical fixed point is unstable with respect to this new term, and that no stable critical fixed point exists at one-loop order. This is contrasted with the case of itinerant ferromagnets, where we find that the previously found critical behavior is unaffected by the rare regions due to an effective long-ranged interaction between the order parameter fluctuations.

Holographic approach to entanglement entropy in disordered systems

Abstract: We investigate the entanglement entropy of a two-dimensional disordered system holographically. In particular, we study the evolution of the entanglement entropy along renormalization group flows for a conformal theory at the UV fixed point, that is perturbed by weak disorder into a Lifshitz theory at the IR fixed point. Through numerical fitting, we find that the disorder correlations lead to a subleading power-law term in the entanglement entropy that vanishes at the IR fixed point. Interestingly, the exponent that controls the power-law vanishing of the subleading term seems to be almost universal as it depends very weakly on the strength of the disorder. We show that our results can be put in the context of the c-theorem by defining an effective central charge that decreases along the RG flow. We also investigate disorder induced long-range correlations between the two subsystems by studying the holographic mutual information.

Anomalously elastic intermediate phase in randomly layered superfluids, superconductors, and planar magnets.

Abstract: We show that layered quenched randomness in planar magnets leads to an unusual intermediate phase between the conventional ferromagnetic low-temperature and paramagnetic high-temperature phases. In this intermediate phase, which is part of the Griffiths region, the spin-wave stiffness perpendicular to the random layers displays anomalous scaling behavior, with a continuously variable anomalous exponent, while the magnetization and the stiffness parallel to the layers both remain finite. Analogous results hold for superfluids and superconductors. We study the two phase transitions into the anomalous elastic phase, and we discuss the universality of these results, and implications of finite sample size as well as possible experiments.

Quantum Phase Transition in the Spin Boson Model

Abstract: Quantum phase transitions (QPT) have recently become a widespread topic in the realm of modern condensed matter physics. QPT are phase transformations that occur at the absolute zero of temperature and are triggered by varying a temperature-independent control parameter like pressure, doping concentration, or magnetic field. There are various examples of systems showing quantum critical behavior, which include the antiferromagnetic transition in heavy fermion material like \({\textrm CeCu}_{6-x}{\textrm Au}_{x}\), that is brought about by changing the \({\textrm Au}\) doping [10]. Another prototypical example of a system exhibiting quantum critical behavior is the quantum Hall effect, wherein a two-dimensional electron gas is tuned, via an externally applied magnetic field, through a quantum critical point (QCP) that intervenes between two quantized Hall plateaux. Other examples of QPT include the ferromagnetic transition in metallic magnets as a function of applied pressure and the superconducting transition in thin films.

Anderson Transitions

Abstract: The physics of Anderson transitions between localized and metallic phases in disordered systems is reviewed The term ``Anderson transition'' is understood in a broad sense, including both metal-insulator transitions and quantum-Hall-type transitions between phases with localized states The emphasis is put on recent developments, which include: multifractality of critical wave functions, criticality in the power-law random banded matrix model, symmetry classification of disordered electronic systems, mechanisms of criticality in quasi-one-dimensional and two-dimensional systems and survey of corresponding critical theories, network models, and random Dirac Hamiltonians Analytical approaches are complemented by advanced numerical simulations

Fermi-liquid instabilities at magnetic quantum phase transitions

Abstract: This review discusses instabilities of the Fermi-liquid state of conduction electrons in metals with particular emphasis on magnetic quantum critical points. Both the existing theoretical concepts and experimental data on selected materials are presented; with the aim of assessing the validity of presently available theory. After briefly recalling the fundamentals of Fermi-liquid theory, the local Fermi-liquid state in quantum impurity models and their lattice versions is described. Next, the scaling concepts applicable to quantum phase transitions are presented. The Hertz-Millis-Moriya theory of quantum phase transitions is described in detail. The breakdown of the latter is analyzed in several examples. In the final part experimental data on heavy-fermion materials and transition-metal alloys are reviewed and confronted with existing theory.

Superconducting phases of f -electron compounds

Abstract: Intermetallic compounds containing $f$-electron elements display a wealth of superconducting phases, which are prime candidates for unconventional pairing with complex order parameter symmetries. For instance, superconductivity has been found at the border of magnetic order as well as deep within ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically ordered states, suggesting that magnetism may promote rather than destroy superconductivity. Superconducting phases near valence transitions or in the vicinity of magnetopolar order are candidates for new superconductive pairing interactions such as fluctuations of the conduction electron density or the crystal electric field, respectively. The experimental status of the study of the superconducting phases of $f$-electron compounds is reviewed.

Quantum phase transitions

Abstract: In recent years, quantum phase transitions have attracted the interest of both theorists and experimentalists in condensed matter physics. These transitions, which are accessed at zero temperature by variation of a non-thermal control parameter, can influence the behaviour of electronic systems over a wide range of the phase diagram. Quantum phase transitions occur as a result of competing ground state phases. The cuprate superconductors which can be tuned from a Mott insulating to a d-wave superconducting phase by carrier doping are a paradigmatic example. This review introduces important concepts of phase transitions and discusses the interplay of quantum and classical fluctuations near criticality. The main part of the article is devoted to bulk quantum phase transitions in condensed matter systems. Several classes of transitions will be briefly reviewed, pointing out, e.g., conceptual differences between ordering transitions in metallic and insulating systems. An interesting separate class of transitions is boundary phase transitions where only degrees of freedom of a subsystem become critical; this will be illustrated in a few examples. The article is aimed at bridging the gap between high-level theoretical presentations and research papers specialized in certain classes of materials. It will give an overview on a variety of different quantum transitions, critically discuss open theoretical questions, and frequently make contact with recent experiments in condensed matter physics.