Altermagnetism in modified Lieb lattice Hubbard model

Abstract

We study the emergence of altermagnetism from repulsive interactions for electrons on the Lieb lattice as a model of quasi-2D oxychalcogenides with the so-called "anti-CuO$_{2}$" lattice structure. A comprehensive study of the Lieb lattice Hubbard model, using unrestricted Hartree-Fock and exact diagonalization techniques, establishes the presence of spin-${1\over 2}$ altermagnetic Mott insulating ground state for average electron densities of 2 and 4 per unit cell. Both phases show the characteristic spin splitting in the electron bands as well as in the magnon bands, as indicated by solutions of an effective spin-${1\over 2}$ Heisenberg model that we construct. We also provide evidence for altermagnetic metal formation in the electron- and hole-doped Mott state, giving rise to Fermi surfaces with $d_{x^{2}-y^{2}}$-wave spin splitting and quasi-one-dimensional characteristics.