Phase Diagram of the Square-Lattice $t$-$J$-$V$ Model for Electron-Doped Cuprates

Abstract

Motivated by significant discrepancies between experimental observations of electron-doped cuprates and numerical results of the Hubbard and $t$-$J$ models, we investigate the role of inter-site interactions $V$ by studying the $t$-$J$-$V$ model on square lattices. Based on large-scale density matrix renormalization group simulations, we identify the ground-state phase diagram across varying inter-site interactions $V$ and doping concentration $\delta$. We find that the phase diagram with finite inter-site interactions $2\lesssim V/J\lesssim3$ offers a more accurate description of electron-doped cuprates than the conventional Hubbard and $t$-$J$ models. Moreover, we reveal the role of inter-site interactions $V$ at varying doping levels: at light doping, inter-site interactions favor N\'{e}el antiferromagnetic order, and suppress both superconductivity and charge density wave; around optimal doping, these interactions support a pseudogap-like phase while suppressing superconductivity, and we further perform the slave boson mean-field analysis to understand the numerical results microscopically; at higher doping, the effects of inter-site interactions become insignificant, with our numerical predictions suggesting the emergence of incommensurate spin density wave phase. Our specific focus around optimal doping with various inter-site interactions identifies successive phases including phase separation, uniform $d$-wave SC and a pseudogap-like phase, and reveals a relative insensitivity of charge density wave to superconductivity. Our study suggests the $t$-$J$-$V$ model as the minimal model to capture the essential physics of the electron-doped cuprates.