A large-N analysis of the local quantum critical point and the spin-liquid phase

Abstract

We study analytically the Kondo lattice model with an additional nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic interaction in the framework of large-N theory. We find that there is a local quantum critical point between two phases, a normal Fermi-liquid and a spin-liquid in which the spins are decoupled from the conduction electrons. The local spin susceptibility displays a power-law divergence throughout the spin liquid phase. We check the reliability of the large-N results by solving by quantum Monte Carlo simulation the N=2 spin-liquid problem with no conduction electrons and find qualitative agreement. We show that the spin-liquid phase is unstable at low temperatures, suggestive of a first-order transition to an ordered phase.