2001/05/31 by P. Coleman, C. Pepin, Q. Si +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.str-el
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0953-8984/13/35/202
published as Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 13, 723-738, (2001) · Revised version with many new references added. To appear as a topical review in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter Physics. Two column version http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~coleman/online/questions.ps.gz
arxiv created 2001/07/27 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30
We discuss non-Fermi liquid and quantum critical behavior in heavy fermion materials, focussing on the mechanism by which the electron mass appears to diverge at the quantum critical point. We ask whether the basic mechanism for the transformation involves electron diffraction off a quantum critical spin density wave, or whether a break-down in the composite nature of the heavy electron takes place at the quantum critical point. We show that the Hall constant changes continously in the first scenario, but may ``jump'' discontinuously at a quantum critical point where the composite character of the electron quasiparticles changes.