Fermi edge singularities in X-ray spectra of strongly correlated fermions

Abstract

We discuss the problem of the X-ray absorption in a system of interacting fermions and, in particular, those features in the X-ray spectra that can be used to discriminate between conventional Fermi-liquids and novel "strange metals". Focusing on the case of purely forward scattering off the core-hole potential, we account for the relevant interactions in the conduction band by means of the bosonization technique. We find that the X-ray Fermi edge singularities can still be present, although modified, even if the density of states vanishes at the Fermi energy, and that, in general, the relationship between the two appears to be quite subtle.