We consider the role of the Ward identity in dealing with the transport properties of an interacting system forming a $d$-wave modulated charge-density wave or staggered flux phase. In particular, we address this issue from the point of view of the restricted optical-conductivity sum rule. Our aim is to provide a controlled approximation for the current-current correlation function which allows us also to determine analytically the corresponding sum rule. By analyzing the role of the vertex functions in both the microscopic interacting model and in the effective mean-field Hamiltonian, we propose a nonstandard low-energy sum-rule for this system. We also discuss the possible applicability of these results for the description of cuprate superconductors in the pseudogap regime.

• Received 20 July 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.71.104511