Diagrammatic quantum Monte Carlo study of an acoustic lattice polaron

Abstract

We present a diagrammatic Monte Carlo study of a lattice polaron interacting with an acoustic phonon branch through the deformation potential. Weak and strong coupling regimes are separated by a self-trapping region where quantum resonance between various possible lattice deformations is seen in the ground-state properties, spectral function, and optical conductivity. This study shows that the acoustic lattice polaron represents a distinct quantum object with unique features, markedly different from any previously considered polaron model. In particular, the acoustic lattice polaron exhibits an interplay between long- and short wavelength acoustic vibrations, resulting in a composite phonon cloud which leads to the formation of multiple competing polaron states with a complex spectral response.