Dynamical screening in correlated metals: Spectral properties of SrVO 3 in the GW approximation and beyond

Abstract

SrVO3 is a prototypical strongly correlated metal. Here we interpret the signatures of electronic correlation measured in photoemission spectroscopy by combining the many-body GW approximation of the self-energy with an exponential representation of the Green's function. We explain those correlation effects as the consequence of the dynamical screening of the Coulomb interaction and the coupling between elementary excitations in the solid. Moreover we address the issue of satellites for empty states and discuss the possibility of plasmon-satellite series above the Fermi energy EF. In good agreement with experiment, we obtain from first principles the renormalization of the V 3d quasiparticle bands and the satellites close to EF that so far have been interpreted on the basis of the Hubbard model. Finally, we identify incoherent features due to dynamical correlation also at the bottom of the O 2p bands, beyond the traditional three-band Hubbard-model description. © 2013 American Physical Society.