Thermal Hofstadter Butterflies.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42448591.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.6c01000.
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Abstract
Fractal electronic spectra arising from the competition between lattice periodicity and magnetic flux are a fundamental hallmark of two-dimensional quantum systems. While the spectral properties of Hofstadter butterflies are well-documented, their thermodynamic response has remained remarkably unexplored. We present an original characterization of the electronic entropy <i>S</i><sub><i>e</i></sub> and specific heat <i>C</i><sub><i>e</i></sub>, at half-filling, for square, honeycomb, and triangular lattices under a magnetic field. We demonstrate that these observables exhibit fast and slow magneto-thermo oscillations and pronounced magnetocaloric effects. We identify striking self-similarity in <i>S</i><sub><i>e</i></sub> and <i>C</i><sub><i>e</i></sub>, tracing heart-shaped specific heat and tunnel-like entropy contours that repeat at specific lattice-dependent magnetic fluxes. Entropy minima at low temperatures act as fingerprints for the butterfly spines, resolving the underlying fractal spectra. These findings may establish thermal measurements as high-resolution spectroscopic probes, providing a robust framework for recognizing fractal signatures through thermodynamics in diverse nanostructures.