The discovery of high-Tc superconductivity in the cuprates, and the observation that strong correlations are important in connection with these compounds has led to a tremendous interest in understanding the physics of strongly correlated electronic models. In particular the two simplest models for strongly correlated electrons, namely the Hubbard and t−J models, have been the subject of in- tensive studies. In a milestone paper of 1987, P.W. Anderson proposed that a resonating valence bond (RVB) wave-function, which consists of a superposition of valence-bond states, contains the ingredients to account for a consistent theory of the Hubbard and t−J models. Motivated by the success of variational Monte- Carlo to describe some of the peculiar properties of the cuprates, we propose in this dissertation, on one hand, to extend the method to further strongly corre- lated models to describe other compounds such as graphene, carbon nanotube or the cobaltite compounds, and on the other hand we propose to focus on the pseudo-gap phase of the cuprates, which is still prompting for a consistent the- ory. In particular, the issue of checkerboard spatial modulations in the density of states in the low temperature regime of the cuprates is addressed. Finally, we have studied the possibility for spontaneous orbital currents in the cuprates, that might play a key role in the theory of high Tc superconductors.
Date of Award | 23 Aug 2007 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | - École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
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Variational study of strongly correlated electronic models
Weber, C. (Author). 23 Aug 2007
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Science