Kondo insulators modeled by the one-dimensional Anderson lattice: A numerical-renormalization-group study

In order to better understand Kondo insulators, we have studied both the symmetric and asymmetric Anderson lattices at half filling in one dimension using the density-matrix formulation of the numerical renormalization group. The asymmetric case is treated in the mixed-valence regime. We have calculated the charge gap, the spin gap, and the quasiparticle gap as a function of the repulsive interaction U using open boundary conditions for lattices as large as 24 sites. We find that the charge gap is larger than the spin gap for all U for both the symmetric and asymmetric cases. Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interactions are evident in the f-spin--f-spin correlation functions at large U in the symmetric case, but are suppressed in the asymmetric case as the f level approaches the Fermi energy. This suppression can also be seen in the staggered susceptibility {χ}(q=2kF) and it is consistent with neutron scattering measurements of {χ}(q) in CeNiSn.