title: Nature of the quantum phase transition to a spin-nematic phase.
abstract: It is shown that the quantum phase transition in metallic non-s-wave ferromagnets, or spin nematics, is generically of first order. This is due to a coupling of the order parameter to soft electronic modes that play a role analogous to that of the electromagnetic vector potential in a superconductor, which leads to a fluctuation-induced first-order transition. A generalized mean-field theory for the p-wave case is constructed that explicitly shows this effect. Tricritical wings are predicted to appear in the phase diagram in a spatially varying magnetic field, but not in a homogeneous one.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Physical Science and Technology and Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belitz