String theory, quantum phase transitions, and the emergent Fermi liquid

Science. 2009 Jul 24;325(5939):439-44. doi: 10.1126/science.1174962. Epub 2009 Jun 25.

Abstract

A central problem in quantum condensed matter physics is the critical theory governing the zero-temperature quantum phase transition between strongly renormalized Fermi liquids as found in heavy fermion intermetallics and possibly in high-critical temperature superconductors. We found that the mathematics of string theory is capable of describing such fermionic quantum critical states. Using the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence to relate fermionic quantum critical fields to a gravitational problem, we computed the spectral functions of fermions in the field theory. By increasing the fermion density away from the relativistic quantum critical point, a state emerges with all the features of the Fermi liquid.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't