Phase diagram of the half-filled ionic Hubbard model in the limit of strong correlations

We investigate the ionic Hubbard model (IHM) at half-filling in the limit of strong correlations and large ionic potential. The low-energy effective Hamiltonian in this limit, obtained by a similarity transformation, is a modified $t\ensuremath{-}J$ model with effective second-neighbor hopping terms. We explore the possibilities of $d$-wave pairing and extended $s$-wave pairing superconducting (SC) phases on a two-dimensional square lattice at zero temperature within a Gutzwiller projected renormalized mean-field theory. In the sector of solutions that forbid spin-ordering, the system shows a finite nonzero $d$-wave as well as extended $s$-wave pairing amplitude for $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremath{\sim}U\ensuremath{\gg}t$. The width of the superconducting phase in $U\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}$ regime shrinks with increase in $U$ and $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}$, though the extended $s$-wave pairing phase is higher in energy than the $d$-wave pairing superconducting phase. But in a spin-resolved renormalized mean-field calculation, which allows for an antiferromagnetic (AF) order along with the $d$-wave or extended $s$-wave pairing, the SC phase is no longer viable and the system shows a direct transition from an AF ordered phase to a paramagnetic band insulator. Except for a thin sliver of a half-metallic AF phase close to the AF transition point, most of the AF ordered phase is a Mott insulator. We benchmarked the AF Mott insulator to band insulator transition within the Gutzwiller projected renormalized mean-field theory against the dynamical mean-field theory solved using continuous time quantum Monte Carlo. Our work suggests that the ground-state phase diagram of the IHM at half-filling in the limit of extreme correlations does not have any SC phase. The SC phase seen in the paramagnetic sector is a metastable phase, being higher in energy than the AF Mott insulator phase.