Ferrimagnetic quantum phase transitions and Weyl-Kondo semimetal in a dimerized organic polymer

Abstract

We study the ferrimagnetic quantum phase transitions (QPTs) and thermodynamics of a dimerized organic polymer, which is described as a periodic Anderson-like model using Green’s function theory. In the absence of magnetic field, it is shown that the Kondo coupling could destroy the Dirac semimetal and induce spin splitting, and the dimerization could open up an energy gap. In a magnetic field, the ferrimagnetic and ferromagnetic insulators as well as Weyl-Kondo semimetal are unveiled. The mechanism of Kondo-singlet competition with dimer-singlet is unveiled to account for the 1/3 magnetization plateau. The field induces second and first order QPTs in the small and large hybridization limit, which is demonstrated by the field scaling of Grüneisen ratio and temperature scaling of specific heat at low temperatures, providing novel thermodynamic means to diagnose the order of QPTs.

Keywords

• Ferrimagnetic quantum phase transition
• Weyl-Kondo semimetal
• Magnetization plateau