Nematic phase in a two-dimensional Hubbard model at weak coupling and finite temperature

Abstract

We apply the self-consistent renormalized perturbation theory to the Hubbard model on the square lattice, at finite temperatures in order to study the evolution of the Fermi-surface (FS) as a function of temperature and doping. Previously, a nematic phase for the same model has been reported to appear at weak coupling near a Lifshitz transition from closed to open FS at zero temperature where the self-consistent renormalized perturbation theory was shown to be sensitive to small deformations of the FS. We find that the competition with the superconducting order leads to a maximal nematic order appearing at non-zero temperature. We explicitly observe the two competing phases near the onset of nematic instability and, by comparing the grand canonical potentials, we find that the transitions are first-order. We explain the origin of the interaction-driven spontaneous symmetry breaking to a nematic phase in a system with several symmetry-related Van Hove points and discuss the required conditions.