Anomalous low doping phase of the Hubbard model

Abstract

We present results of a systematic Quantum-Monte-Carlo study for the single-band Hubbard model. Thereby we evaluated single-particle spectra (PES & IPES), two-particle spectra (spin & density correlation functions), and the dynamical correlation function of suitably defined diagnostic operators, all as a function of temperature and hole doping. The results allow to identify different physical regimes. Near half-filling we find an anomalous `Hubbard-I phase', where the band structure is, up to some minor modifications, consistent with the Hubbard-I predictions. At lower temperatures, where the spin response becomes sharp, additional dispersionless `bands' emerge due to the dressing of electrons/holes with spin excitatons. We present a simple phenomenological fit which reproduces the band structure of the insulator quantitatively. The Fermi surface volume in the low doping phase, as derived from the single-particle spectral function, is not consistent with the Luttinger theorem, but qualitatively in agreement with the predictions of the Hubbard-I approximation. The anomalous phase extends up to a hole concentration of 15%, i.e. the underdoped region in the phase diagram of high-T_c superconductors. We also investigate the nature of the magnetic ordering transition in the single particle spectra. We show that the transition to an SDW-like band structure is not accomplished by the formation of any resolvable `precursor bands', but rather by a (spectroscopically invisible) band of spin 3/2 quasiparticles. We discuss implications for the `remnant Fermi surface' in insulating cuprate compounds and the shadow bands in the doped materials.