A lattice fermion model combining hopping with local density interaction, conventionally written . Its interaction parameter must be matched when a spin-square representation is used: equals , so for that representation.
For a single spinful fermion orbital, . The contraction term is , so . Empty and doubly occupied states are spinless while singly occupied states have spin one half, which also proves the identity directly.
Ferromagnetic spin polarization carried by mobile electrons rather than a separate fixed-spin lattice. A homogeneous spin field splits the electron bands and competes with a positive field cost. Mean-field instability is governed by the Stoner criterion; the ordered metal supports transverse spin waves as well as fermionic particle-hole excitations.
An isotropic spin-polarized metal has a degenerate magnetization direction and a long-wavelength transverse magnon with quadratic dispersion. Nonzero spin density pairs the two transverse broken generators into one type-B Goldstone boson. Exchange-split Fermi surfaces also support fermionic low-energy excitations; the magnon is distinct from longitudinal amplitude motion and the spin-flip continuum.
In the homogeneous spin-vector mean-field scheme with field cost and spin-summed density of states per site, the paramagnetic curvature is proportional to . It changes sign at . For a smooth low-temperature density of states, , giving the familiar Fermi-level criterion. Interaction and spin-counting conventions must be specified before comparing coefficients.
Integrating free fermions in a constant auxiliary spin field gives . Differentiation gives the self-consistent spin polarization. The extensive action is a mean-field restriction of the full auxiliary-field functional integral, not an exact omission of all spatial/time fluctuations.