{
  "id": "2202.04374",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2022-02-09T10:17:43.000Z",
  "updated": "2022-02-09T10:17:43.000Z",
  "title": "Metal-insulator transition in a boundary three chain model",
  "authors": [
    "Niels John",
    "Yuval Gefen",
    "Bernd Rosenow"
  ],
  "comment": "10 pages, 3 figures",
  "categories": [
    "cond-mat.mes-hall",
    "cond-mat.str-el"
  ],
  "abstract": "We study the boundary physics of bulk insulators by considering three coupled Hubbard chains in a linear confining potential. In the Hartree-Fock approximation, the ground state at and slightly off the particle-hole symmetric point remains insulating even at large slopes of the confining potential. By contrast, accounting for quantum fluctuations and correlations through a combination of bosonization and RG methods, we find that there is always a gapless dipole mode, but it does not contribute to a finite compressibility. Moreover, when increasing the slope of the confining potential at half filling, we find a quantum phase transition between an insulating and a metallic state, indicating the formation of a soft edge state of non-topological origin. Away from half filling, a similar transition takes place.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2022-02-09T10:17:43.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "metal-insulator transition",
      "chain model",
      "confining potential",
      "soft edge state",
      "quantum phase transition"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 10,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}