Slave-boson mean-field theory versus variational-wave-function approach for the periodic Anderson model

Valence transition in topological Kondo insulator

We investigate the valence transition in three-dimensional topological Kondo insulator through slave-boson analysis of periodic Anderson model. By including the effect of intra-atomic Coulomb correlation [Formula: see text] between conduction and local electrons, we find a first-order valence transition from Kondo region to mixed valence state upon ascending of local f- level above a critical [Formula: see text], and this valence transition usually occurs very close to or simultaneously with a topological transition. Near the parameter region of zero-temperature valence transition, rise of temperature can generate a thermal valence transition from mixed valence to Kondo region, accompanied by a first-order topological transition. Remarkably, above a critical [Formula: see text] which is considerably smaller than that generating paramagnetic valence transition, the original continuous antiferromagnetic transition is shifted to first order one, at which a discontinuous valence shift takes place. Upon increasing [Formula: see text], the paramagnetic valence transition approaches then converges with the first-order antiferromagnetic transition, leaving a significant valence shift on the magnetic boundary. The continuous antiferromagnetic transition, first-order antiferromagnetic transition, paramagnetic valence transition and topological transitions are all summarized in a global phase diagram. Our proposed exotic transition processes can help to understand the thermal valence variation as well as the valence shift around the pressure-induced magnetic transition in topological Kondo insulator candidates and in other heavy-fermion systems.

[Formula: see text] classification for a novel antiferromagnetic topological insulating phase in three-dimensional topological Kondo insulator

Antiferromagnetic topological insulator (AFTI) is a topological matter that breaks time-reversal symmetry. Since its proposal, explorations of AFTI in strong-correlated systems are still lacking. In this paper, we show for the first time that a novel AFTI phase can be realized in three-dimensional topological Kondo insulator (TKI). In a wide parameter region, the ground states of TKI undergo a second-order transition to antiferromagnetic insulating phases which conserve a combined symmetry of time reversal and a lattice translation, allowing us to derive a [Formula: see text]-classification formula for these states. By calculating the [Formula: see text] index, the antiferromagnetic insulating states are classified into AFTI or non-topological antiferromagnetic insulator (nAFI) in different parameter regions. On the antiferromagnetic surfaces in AFTI, we find topologically protected gapless Dirac cones inside the bulk gap, leading to metallic Fermi rings exhibiting helical spin texture with weak spin-momentum locking. Depending on model parameters, the magnetic transitions take place either between AFTI and strong topological insulator, or between nAFI and weak topological insulator. By varying some model parameters, we find a topological transition between AFTI and nAFI, driving by closing of bulk gap. Our work may account for the pressure-induced magnetism in TKI compound SmB₆, and helps to explore richer AFTI phases in heavy-fermion systems as well as in other strong-correlated systems.

Magnetoresistance in paramagnetic heavy fermion metals

A theoretical study of magnetic field (h) effects on single-particle spectra and the transport quantities of heavy fermion metals in the paramagnetic phase is carried out. We have employed a non-perturbative local moment approach (LMA) to the asymmetric periodic Anderson model within the dynamical mean field framework. The lattice coherence scale ω(L), which is proportional within the LMA to the spin-flip energy scale, and has been shown in earlier studies to be the energy scale at which crossover to single-impurity physics occurs, increases monotonically with increasing magnetic field. The many body Kondo resonance in the density of states at the Fermi level splits into two, with the splitting being proportional to the field itself. For h≥0, we demonstrate adiabatic continuity from the strongly interacting case to a corresponding non-interacting limit, thus establishing Fermi liquid behaviour for heavy fermion metals in the presence of a magnetic field. In the Kondo lattice regime, the theoretically computed magnetoresistance is found to be negative in the entire temperature range. We argue that such a result could be understood at [Formula: see text] by field-induced suppression of spin-flip scattering and at [Formula: see text] through lattice coherence. The coherence peak in the heavy fermion resistivity diminishes and moves to higher temperatures with increasing field. Direct comparison of the theoretical results to the field dependent resistivity measurements in CeB(6) yields good agreement.