Interacting line-node semimetal and spontaneous symmetry breaking

Bitan Roy

Published 2016-07-26Version 1

The effects of short-range electronic interactions in a three dimensional line-node semimetal that supports linearly dispersing quasiparticles around an isolated closed loop in the Brillouin zone are discussed. Due to vanishing density of states various orderings in the bulk of the system, such as the antiferromagnet and charge-density-wave, set in for sufficiently strong onsite ($U$) and nearest-neighbor ($V$) repulsions, respectively. While onset of these two orderings from the semimetallic phase takes place through continuous quantum phase transitions, a first order transition separates two ordered phases. By contrast, topologically protected drumhead shaped surface states can undergo charge or spin orderings, depending on relative strength of $U$ and $V$, even when they are sufficiently weak. Such surface orderings as well as weak long range Coulomb interaction can be conducive to spontaneous symmetry breaking in the bulk for weaker interactions. We also discuss possible superconducting phases and internal symmetry among various orders in this system.