Critical theory of the two-channel Anderson impurity model

Abstract

We construct the boundary conformal field theory that describes the low-temperature behavior of the two-channel Anderson impurity model. The presence of an exactly marginal operator is shown to generate a line of stable fixed points parametrized by the charge valence nc of the impurity. We calculate the exact zero-temperature entropy and impurity thermodynamics along the fixed line. We also derive the critical exponents of the characteristic Fermi edge singularities caused by time-dependent hybridization between conduction electrons and impurity. Our results suggest that in the mixed-valent regime (nc≠0, 1) the electrons participate in two competing processes, leading to frustrated screening of spin and channel degrees of freedom. By combining the boundary conformal field theory with the Bethe-Ansatz solution we obtain a complete description of the low-energy dynamics of the model. © 2003 The American Physical Society.