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arXiv:1809.02974 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Properties and application of SO(3) Majorana representation of spin: Equivalence with Jordan-Wigner transformation and exact Z2 gauge theories for spin models

Jianlong Fu

Published Dec 19, 2018• 8 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We explore the properties of the SO(3) Majorana representation of spin. Based on its nonlocal nature, it is shown that there is an equivalence between the SO(3) Majorana representation and the Jordan-Wigner transformation in one and two dimensions. From the relation between the SO(3) Majorana representation and one-dimensional Jordan-Wigner transformation, we show that application of the SO(3) Majorana representation usually results in ${Z}_{2}$ gauge structure. Based on lattice Chern-Simons gauge theory, it is shown that the anticommuting link variables in the SO(3) Majorana representation make it equivalent to an operator form of compact ${\text{U(1)}}_{1}$ Chern-Simons Jordan-Wigner transformation in 2D. As examples of its application, we discuss two spin models, namely the quantum XY model on a honeycomb lattice and the ${90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ compass model on a square lattice. It is shown that under the SO(3) Majorana representation both spin models can be exactly mapped into ${Z}_{2}$ gauge theory of spinons, with the standard form of ${Z}_{2}$ Gauss law constraint.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.98.214432

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We explore the properties of the SO(3) Majorana representation of spin. Based on its nonlocal nature, it is shown that there is an equivalence between the SO(3) Majorana representation and the Jordan-Wigner transformation in one and two dimensions. From the relation between the SO(3) Majorana representation and one-dimensional Jordan-Wigner transformation, we show that application of the SO(3) Majorana representation usually results in Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ gauge structure. Based on lattice Chern-Simons gauge theory, it is shown that the anticommuting link variables in the SO(3) Majorana representation make it equivalent to an operator form of compact U(1)1{\text{U(1)}}_{1}U(1)1​ Chern-Simons Jordan-Wigner transformation in 2D. As examples of its application, we discuss two spin models, namely the quantum XY model on a honeycomb lattice and the 90\ensuremath∘{90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}90\ensuremath∘ compass model on a square lattice. It is shown that under the SO(3) Majorana representation both spin models can be exactly mapped into Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ gauge theory of spinons, with the standard form of Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ Gauss law constraint.
Emergent gauge theories take a prominent role in the description of quantum matter, supporting deconfined phases with topological order and fractionalized excitations. A common construction of \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 lattice gauge theories, first introduced by Wegner, involves Ising gauge spins placed on links and subject to a discrete \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 Gauss law constraint. As shown by Kitaev, \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 lattice gauge theories also emerge in the exact solution of certain spin systems with bond-dependent interactions. In this context, the \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 gauge field is constructed from Majorana fermions, with gauge constraints given by the parity of Majorana fermions on each site. In this work, we provide an explicit Jordan-Wigner transformation that maps between these two formulations on the square lattice, where the Kitaev-type gauge theory emerges as the exact solution of a spin-orbital (Kugel-Khomskii) Hamiltonian. We then apply our mapping to study local perturbations to the spin-orbital Hamiltonian, which correspond to anisotropic interactions between electric-field variables in the \mathbb{Z}_2 ℤ 2 gauge theory. These are shown to induce anisotropic confinement that is characterized by emergence of weakly-coupled one-dimensional spin chains. We study the nature of these phases and corresponding confinement transitions in both absence and presence of itinerant fermionic matter degrees of freedom. Finally, we discuss how our mapping can be applied to the Kitaev spin-1/2 model on the honeycomb lattice.
Based on the Dirac spinor representation of the SO(4) group, we discuss the relationship between three types of representation of spin in terms of Majorana fermions, namely the Kitaev representation, the SO(3) representation, and the SO(4) chiral representation. Comparing the three types, we show that the Hilbert space of the SO(3) representation is different from the other two by requiring a pairing of sites, but it has the advantage over the other two in that no unphysical states are involved. As an example of its application, we present an alternative solution of the Kitaev honeycomb model. Our solution involves no unphysical states which enables a systematic calculation of physical observables. Finally, we discuss an extension of the model to a more general exactly soluble Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ gauge theory interacting with complex fermions.
It is well known that the noninteracting Majorana chain is dual to the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model, either through the Jordan–Wigner transformation or by gauging fermion parity. In this correspondence, the minimal translation of the Majorana chain maps to the celebrated Kramers–Wannier (KW) duality of the spin model, with the critical point mapped to the self-dual point. In this work, we generalize this mapping to two and higher dimensions by constructing a unitary equivalence between the parity-gauged fermionic system and a spin system defined on arbitrary polyhedral decompositions of space. Imposing the flatness condition on the gauge field yields a bosonization duality between the original (ungauged) fermionic system and a gauged spin system obeying a Gauss law. The dependence of the Gauss law in the spin system on the Kasteleyn orientation (and the discrete spin structure) of the fermionic system is made explicit. Applying this bosonization to one or two copies of Majorana fermions on translationally invariant lattices, we derive higher-dimensional analogs of KW (self-) dualities in spin systems arising from fermionic minimal translations. The KW (self-) dualities are non-invertible due to projections onto eigenspaces of higher-form symmetries in the associated symmetry operators. The bosonization framework we present is intuitive, general, and systematic, encompassing other known exact bosonization methods while offering a novel approach to establish new connections between fermionic and spin systems in arbitrary dimensions.
We discuss a scheme for performing Jordan-Wigner transformation for various lattice fermion systems in two and three dimensions which keeps internal and spatial symmetries manifest. The correspondence between fermionic and bosonic operators is established with the help of auxiliary Majorana fermions. The current construction is applicable to general lattices with even coordination numbers and an arbitrary number of fermion flavors. The approach is demonstrated on the single-orbital square, triangular, and cubic lattices for spin-1/21/21/2 fermions. We also discuss the relation to some quantum spin liquid models.
A variety of analytical approaches have been developed for the study of quantum spin systems in two dimensions, the notable ones being spin-waves, slave boson/fermion parton constructions, and for lattices with one-to-one local correspondence of faces and vertices, the two-dimensional (2D) Jordan-Wigner (JW) fermionization. Field-theoretically, JW fermionization is implemented through Chern-Simons (CS) flux attachment. For a correct fermionization of lattice quantum spin-1/21/21/2 magnets, it is necessary that the fermions obey mutual bosonic (anyonic) statistics under exchange---this is not possible to implement on arbitrary 2D lattices if fermionic matter couples only to the lattice gauge fields. Enlarging the gauge degrees of freedom to include the dual lattice allows the construction of consistent mutual Chern-Simons field theories. Here we propose a mutual CS theory where the microscopic (spin) degrees of freedom are represented as lattice fermionic matter additionally coupled to specific combinations of dual lattice gauge fields that depend on the local geometry. We illustrate the use of this method for understanding the properties of a honeycomb Kitaev model subjected to a strong Zeeman field in the zzz-direction. Our CS gauge theory framework provides an understanding of why the topological phase is degraded at lower (higher) critical fields for the ferromagnetic (antiferromagnetic) Kitaev interaction. Additionally, we observe an effectively one-dimensional character of the low excitations at higher fields in the zzz-direction, which we also confirm by spin-wave calculations.
The well-known Jordan-Wigner transformation maps an arbitrary system of fermions on a one-dimensional lattice to a system of spins. An essential property of this transformation is that it preserves the locality of observables. This transformation has been recently extended to two-dimensional lattices, where it maps an arbitrary system of fermions to a gauge theory, with locality preserved. Here, the authors construct a bosonization map for arbitrary systems of fermions in three dimensions. As an application, the authors design a model of interacting spins on a cubic lattice, which is exactly soluble and is equivalent to a tight-binding model of free fermions with Dirac points.