Open AccessNon-metal-to-metal transition driven by van der Waals forces in an interacting polaronic gas
Author(s) -
Pascal Quémerais,
Gennady N. Chuev
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
new journal of physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.584
H-Index - 190
ISSN - 1367-2630
DOI - 10.1088/1367-2630/12/2/023030
Subject(s) - physics , van der waals force , metal , van der waals strain , transition metal , condensed matter physics , van der waals radius , chemical physics , atomic physics , quantum mechanics , molecule , chemistry , biochemistry , catalysis , organic chemistry
International audienceUsing path integrals and the theory of polarizable fluids, we develop a model treating non-degenerate interacting Fröhlich polarons at low densities and temperatures. Starting from the dilute regime, we show that at strong electron-phonon coupling, the collective properties of polarons are mainly governed by the London dispersion forces, i.e. induced dipole-dipole van der Waals interactions. At a critical density, these forces provoke a non-metal-to-metal transition by means of a polarization catastrophe and a mechanical instability, which results in a polaron dissociation