7.

6 Spin Density Waves 383

partite lattices at half-filling but in any other case, we should suspect

that the system prefers a different ordering pattern. This is quite clear
in D = 1 where we see that q = 2kF is the best choice. For higher di-
mensions, the situation is not so clear-cut and in any case, the resulting
states are much more difficult to handle. We refer to the literature for
a sample of complicated mean field phase diagrams [179, 3531.
Sufficiently far from half-filling, even the ferromagnetic (q=O) so-
lution becomes preferable to the antiferromagnetic solution. The sim-
plest mean-field diagrams (whose general appearance we sketched in
Fig. 4.11) show only these two kinds of ordering. For the simple cu-
bic lattice, the corresponding phase diagram was worked out by Penn
[324],showing a central region of antiferromagnetism flanked by two
domains of ferromagnetism (Fig. 4.11). This gave the hope that itin-
erant ferromagnetism can be understood as the typical intermediate-U,
intermediate-filling behaviour of the Hubbard model. Note that at large
U ,the ferromagnetic domain begins to outflank the AF region, reach-
ing the n = 1 axis at U + 00. We have already remarked that the
energy scale sustaining AF or SDW behaviour must be suppressed at
large enough U.
What is the status of the ordered states predicted by Hartee-Fock
theories? We understand that such theories are only approximate, and
that they usually overestimate the ordering tendencies because they
force the system into the straightjacket of long range order, thus even
what would be really short range order effects, are compelled to appear
in the disguise of long range order. But is it possible that the very
prediction of a state with SDW long range order is false?
We discuss first ordering at T = 0. It is understood that the pre-
diction of an antiferromagnetic insulator for (perfectly nested) cubic
lattices at half-filling is a solid result for dimensions d 2 2 . The state-
ment is not exactly proven in a mathematical sense, but it is supported
by such a variety of techniques that there is no room for reasonable
doubt. In fact, the corresponding result is “almost true” even in D = 1:
the ground state is insulating, with a gap whose U-dependence is not
unlike the SDW result. T h e that there is no long range order but it is

-
replaced by antiferromagnetic quasi-long-range order; the correlations
fall off algebraically (S&SA) (-l)m-n/lm-n\, and the staggered sus-