Dynamical cluster approximation study of the anisotropic two-orbital Hubbard model

Abstract

We investigate the properties of a two-orbital Hubbard model with unequal bandwidths on the square lattice in the framework of the dynamical cluster approximation (DCA) combined with a continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo (CT QMC) algorithm. We explore the effect of short-range spatial fluctuations on the nature of the metal-insulator transition and the possible occurrence of an orbital-selective Mott transition (OSMT), as a function of cluster size $N_c$. We observe that for $N_c=2$ no OSMT is present, instead a band insulator state for both orbitals is stabilized at low temperatures due to the appearance of an artificial local ordered state. For $N_c=4$ the DCA calculations suggest the presence of five different phases which originate out of the cooperation and competition between spatial fluctuations and orbitals of different bandwidths and a OSMT phase is stabilized. Based on our results, we discuss the nature of the gap opening.