Quantum Phase Transitions in the Hubbard Model on a Triangular Lattice

Abstract

We investigate the quantum phase transitions in the half-filled Hubbard model on the triangular lattice by means of the path-integral renormalization group method with a new iteration and truncation scheme proposed recently. It is found for a cluster of 36 sites that as the Hubbard interaction $U$ increases, the paramagnetic metallic state undergoes a first-order phase transition to a nonmagnetic insulating (NMI) state at $U_{c1}\sim 7.4t$, which is followed by another first-order transition to a 120° Néel ordered state at $U_{c2}\sim 9.2t$, where $t$ is the transfer integral. The size dependence of the results is also addressed. Our results suggest the existence of the intermediate NMI phase and resolve some controversial arguments on the nature of the previously proposed quantum phase transitions.