Smeared nematic quantum phase transitions due to rare-region effects in inhomogeneous systems

Abstract

The concept of a vestigial nematic order emerging from a "mother" spin or charge density-wave state has been applied to describe the phase diagrams of several systems, including unconventional superconductors. In a perfectly clean system, the two orders appear simultaneously via a first-order quantum phase transition, implying the absence of quantum criticality. Here, we investigate how this behavior is affected by impurity-free droplets that are naturally present in inhomogeneous systems. Due to their quantum dynamics, finite-size droplets sustain long-range nematic order but not long-range density-wave order. Interestingly, rare droplets with moderately large sizes undergo a second-order nematic transition even before the first-order quantum transition of the clean system. This gives rise to an extended regime of inhomogeneous nematic order, which is followed by a density-wave quantum Griffiths phase. As a result, a smeared quantum nematic transition, separated from the density-wave quantum transition, emerges in moderately disordered systems.

5 pages, 4 figures + supplementary material

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Intertwined vestigial order in quantum materials: nematicity and beyond
• Signatures of a Quantum Griffiths Phase close to an Electronic Nematic Quantum Phase Transition
• Comparison of temperature and doping dependence of nematic susceptibility near a putative nematic quantum critical point
• Defect-induced electronic smectic state at the surface of nematic materials
• Miscibility gap and possible intrinsic Griffiths phase in Sr(Fe1-xMnx)2As2 crystals grown by transitional metal arsenide flux