10.

6 Discussion and Outlook 567

total energy. Let us, however, note that the whole business is a next-
to-leading-order effect.
It should be emphasized that n d remains finite as long as U is finite.
The SDW-Gutzwiller (SDWG) variational method avoids the pitfall of
the paramagnetic solution, and does not predict a suppression of polar-
ity fluctuations at a critical U. Nevertheless, the system is insulating2'
for all 0 < U < 00. We can proceed as in (10.25), and calculate the gap
GSDWGas the discontinuity of the chemical potential. Exploiting the
electron-hole symmetry (4.48), we find

Let us hasten to add that the half-gap is not given by the gap parameter
A which appears in the formal solution (10.63). We quote the formulas
for limiting behaviour. At small U

(10.68)

where UBR = 8C(n = 1) is the Brinkman-Rice value for the Gaussian

band2'. (10,68) bears an appealing similarity to (9.52) in the sense
that both equations say that characteristic itinerant energies (and the
nearly-free-electron-like SDW gap is such a quantity) are scaled down
by Q. However, the validity of this relationship is confined to U << UBR.
At large U,the gap

GSDWGM U +0 (g) (10.69)

is essentially the Mott-Hubbard gap.

In a substantial part of the n-U plane, the fully symmetrical para-
magnetic state is predicted to be unstable against both ferro-, and an-
tiferromagnetism, so we may ask, which kind of ordering do we really
20As a result of magnetic cell doubling, there are two orbitals per unit cell. Let us
recall the Remark on p. 525 where it was pointed out that an insulating ground state
is compatible with the presence of polarity fluctuations in the multi-orbital case.
21Remember that we find the Brinkman-Rice transition preempted by the onset
of a SDW at U > 0. UBRplays a purely formal role.