Renormalization group approach for highly anisotropic two-dimensional fermion systems: Application to coupled Hubbard chains

I apply a two-step density-matrix renormalization group method to the anisotropic two-dimensional Hubbard model. As a prelude to this study, I compare the numerical results to the exact one for the tight-binding model. I find a ground-state energy which agrees with the exact value up to four digits for systems as large as 24×25. I then apply the method to the interacting case. I find that for strong Hubbard interaction, the ground state is dominated by magnetic correlations. These correlations are robust even in the presence of strong frustration. Interchain pair tunneling is negligible in the singlet and triplet channels and is not enhanced by frustration. For weak Hubbard couplings, due to interchain interaction, interchain nonlocal singlet pair tunneling is enhanced and magnetic correlations are strongly reduced. This suggests a possible superconductive ground state. The pairing mechanism is reminiscent of the Kohn-Luttinger mechanism.