Magnetic Quantum Phase Transitions in a Clean Dirac Metal

Abstract: We consider clean Dirac metals where the linear band crossing is caused by a strong spin-orbit interaction, and study the quantum phase transitions from the paramagnetic phase to various magnetic phases, including homogeneous ferromagnets, ferrimagnets, canted ferromagnets, and magnetic nematics. We show that in all of these cases the coupling of fermionic soft modes to the order parameter generically renders the quantum phase transition first order, with certain gapless Dirac systems providing a possible exception. These results are surprising since a strong spin-orbit scattering suppresses the mechanism that causes the first order transition in ordinary metals. The important role of chirality in generating a new mechanism for a first-order transition is stressed.