Quantum antiferromagnetism and high $T_C$ superconductivity: a close connection between the t-J model and the projected BCS Hamiltonian

Abstract

A connection between quantum antiferromagnetism and high $T_C$ superconductivity is theoretically investigated by analyzing the t-J model and its relationships to the Gutzwiller-projected BCS Hamiltonian. After numerical corroboration via exact diagonalization, it is analytically shown that the ground state of the t-J model at half filling (i.e., the 2D antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model) is entirely equivalent to the ground state of the Gutzwiller-projected BCS Hamiltonian with strong pairing. Combined with the high wavefunction overlap between the ground states of the t-J model and the projected BCS Hamiltonian at moderate doping, this equivalence provides strong support for the existence of superconductivity in the t-J model. The relationship between the ground state of the projected BCS Hamiltonian and Anderson's resonating valence bond state (i.e., the projected BCS ground state) is discussed.

18 pages, 9 figures, the final version published in Phys. Rev. B