Path-integral approach to the one-dimensional large-UHubbard model

Abstract

A path-integral formalism for the one-dimensional Hubbard model in the strong-coupling regime, which is equivalent to the t-J model in t/U expansion but without any explicit constraint, is developed. Based on this formalism, the zero-temperature properties of the Hubbard chain are systematically studied. In the infinite-U limit, the charge and spin degrees of freedom are shown to be completely separated. Such a separation at U=∞ provides a controllable perturbative scheme to study the strong-coupling case. In the large-U regime, the spin degree of freedom is represented by a ‘‘squeezed’’ Heisenberg chain. We solve the (squeezed) Heisenberg chain by introducing a soliton representation. Both the charge and spin excitations are found to agree well with the exact solution. The bare electron (hole) is shown to be a composite particle of these basic excitations, i.e., holon and spinon, together with a nonlocal string field. This string field makes the electron behave like a ‘‘semion’’ and plays an important role in determining various correlation functions. We analytically derive the asymptotic forms of the spin-spin and density-density correlation functions as well as the single-electron and the pair-electron Green’s functions. The implications of the present work to the two-dimensional model are discussed.