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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
10:40
High Resolution Phonon-assisted Quasi-resonance Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Published on: June 28, 2016
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Phonon Induced Energy Relaxation in Quantum Critical Metals.
Haoyu Guo1, Debanjan Chowdhury1
1Cornell University, Department of Physics, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|April 11, 2026
Summary
This study presents a universal theory for how electronic energy dissipates into heat via acoustic phonons near quantum phase transitions. The findings reveal complex temperature-dependent crossovers in the energy relaxation rate.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Materials Science
Background:
- Metals near quantum phase transitions exhibit unusual properties like high-temperature superconductivity and non-Fermi liquid behavior.
- A universal timescale governs electrical transport and momentum relaxation in these materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically investigate the mechanism of energy relaxation from electronic degrees of freedom to acoustic phonons near quantum phase transitions.
- To develop a universal theory for the temperature dependence of the energy relaxation rate in marginal Fermi liquids.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of energy dissipation through electronic-acoustic phonon coupling.
- Development of a universal theory for energy relaxation rate.
Main Results:
- The energy relaxation rate shows complex temperature-dependent crossovers.
- These crossovers are governed by emergent energy scales inherent to the system.
- The theory provides a framework for understanding energy dissipation in correlated materials.
Conclusions:
- A universal theory for energy relaxation rate in marginal Fermi liquids has been established.
- The findings offer insights into the interplay between electronic energy, acoustic phonons, and quantum phase transitions.
- Results are contextualized with experimental measurements in hole-doped cuprates.
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