Spin Singlet Ordering Suggested by Repulsive Interactions

Abstract

We consider a correlated wavefunction including particle-hole pairing at half a reciprocal lattice vector for itinerant electrons hopping on a square lattice in two dimensions and subject both to on-site and nearest-neighbor repulsion. We find, within mean field theory, that in a suitable range of parameters there is a tendency toward a novel form of ordering characterized by discrete symmetry breaking and a gap at the magnetic zone boundary, which supports hole-like semiconductor behavior near half filling despite an apparently normal Fermi surface. The effective quasiparticle couplings to phonons includes a significant d-wave piece, which plausibly leads to an especially robust tendency toward superconductivity.