Surface dead layer for quasiparticles near a Mott transition

Abstract

Electron quasiparticles are progressively weakened by correlations upon approaching a continuos Mott metal insulator transition in a bulk solid. We show that corresponding to the bulk weakening, a dead layer forms below the surface of the solid, where quasiparticles are exponentially suppressed. The surface dead layer depth is a bulk property, and diverges when the Mott transition is approached. We describe this phenomenon in a Hubbard model within a self-consistent Gutzwiller approximation. Photoemission data of Rodolakis et al. in V2O3 appear to be in accord with this physical picture.

5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Physical Review Letters