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arXiv:2105.04359 · SciPost Physics

Supersymmetry and multicriticality in a ladder of constrained fermions

Natalia Chepiga, Jiří Minář, Kareljan Schoutens

Published Sep 16, 2021• 5 citations
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Abstract

Supersymmetric lattice models of constrained fermions are known to feature exotic phenomena such as superfrustration, with an extensive degeneracy of ground states, the nature of which is however generally unknown. Here we address this issue by considering a superfrustrated model, which we deform from the supersymetric point. By numerically studying its two-parameter phase diagram, we reveal a rich phenomenology. The vicinity of the supersymmetric point features period-4 and period-5 density waves which are connected by a floating phase (incommensurate Luttinger liquid) with smoothly varying density. The supersymmetric point emerges as a multicritical point between these three phases. Inside the period-4 phase we report a valence-bond solid type ground state that persists up to the supersymmetric point. Our numerical data for transitions out of density-wave phases are consistent with the Pokrovsky-Talapov universality class. Furthermore, our analysis unveiled a period-3 phase with a boundary determined by a competition between single and two-particle instabilities accompanied by a doubling of the wavevector of the density profiles along a line in the phase diagram.

DOI
10.21468/scipostphys.11.3.059

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Supersymmetric lattice models of constrained fermions are known to feature exotic phenomena such as superfrustration, with an extensive degeneracy of ground states, the nature of which is however generally unknown. Here we address this issue by considering a superfrustrated model, which we deform from the supersymetric point. By numerically studying its two-parameter phase diagram, we reveal a rich phenomenology. The vicinity of the supersymmetric point features period-4 and period-5 density waves which are connected by a floating phase (incommensurate Luttinger liquid) with smoothly varying density. The supersymmetric point emerges as a multicritical point between these three phases. Inside the period-4 phase we report a valence-bond solid type ground state that persists up to the supersymmetric point. Our numerical data for transitions out of density-wave phases are consistent with the Pokrovsky-Talapov universality class. Furthermore, our analysis unveiled a period-3 phase with a boundary determined by a competition between single and two-particle instabilities accompanied by a doubling of the wavevector of the density profiles along a line in the phase diagram.
We study a model for itinerant, strongly interacting fermions where a judicious tuning of the interactions leads to a supersymmetric Hamiltonian. On the triangular lattice this model is known to exhibit a property called superfrustration, which is characterized by an extensive ground state entropy. Using a combination of numerical and analytical methods we study various ladder geometries obtained by imposing doubly periodic boundary conditions on the triangular lattice. We compare our results to various bounds on the ground state degeneracy obtained in the literature. For all systems we find that the number of ground states grows exponentially with system size. For two of the models that we study we obtain the exact number of ground states by solving the cohomology problem. For one of these, we find that via a sequence of mappings the entire spectrum can be understood. It exhibits a gapped phase at 1/4 filling and a gapless phase at 1/6 filling and phase separation at intermediate fillings. The gapless phase separates into an exponential number of sectors, where the continuum limit of each sector is described by a superconformal field theory.
We study a model for itinerant, strongly interacting fermions where \na judicious tuning of the interactions leads to a supersymmetric Hamiltonian. \nOn the triangular lattice this model is known to exhibit a property called \nsuperfrustration, which is characterized by an extensive ground state entropy. \nUsing a combination of numerical and analytical methods we study various \nladder geometries obtained by imposing doubly periodic boundary conditions \non the triangular lattice. We compare our results to various bounds on the \nground state degeneracy obtained in the literature. For all systems we find that \nthe number of ground states grows exponentially with system size. For two \nof the models that we study we obtain the exact number of ground states by \nsolving the cohomology problem. For one of these, we find that via a sequence \nof mappings the entire spectrum can be understood. It exhibits a gapped phase at \n1/4 filling and a gapless phase at 1/6 filling and phase separation at intermediate \nfillings. The gapless phase separates into an exponential number of sectors, \nwhere the continuum limit of each sector is described by a superconformal field \ntheory.
We introduce a two-ladder lattice model with interacting Majorana fermions that could be realized on the surfaces of a topological insulator film. We study this model with a combination of analytical and numerical techniques, and we find a phase diagram that features both gapless and gapped phases as well as interesting phase transitions including a quantum critical point in the tricritical Ising (TCI) universality class. The latter occurs at an intermediate-coupling strength at a meeting point of a first-order transition line and an Ising critical line, and it is known to be described by a superconformal field theory with central charge c=710c=\frac{7}{10}c=107​. We discuss the experimental feasibility of constructing the model and tuning parameters to the vicinity of the TCI point where signatures of the elusive supersymmetry can be observed.
We study a model of spinless fermions with infinite nearest-neighbor repulsion on the square ladder, which has microscopic supersymmetry. It has been conjectured that in the continuum, the model is described by the superconformal minimal model with central charge c=3/2c=3/2c=3/2. Thus far, it has not been possible to confirm this conjecture due to strong finite-size corrections in numerical data. We trace the origin of these corrections to the presence of unusual marginal operators that break Lorentz invariance but preserve part of the supersymmetry. By relying mostly on entanglement entropy calculations with the density-matrix renormalization group, we are able to reduce finite-size effects significantly. This allows us to unambiguously determine the continuum theory of the model. We also study perturbations of the model and establish that the supersymmetric model is a multicritical point. Our work underlines the power of entanglement entropy as a probe of the phases of quantum many-body systems.
We explore critical properties of a chain of interacting Majorana fermions, particles that are their own antiparticles. We study the combined effect of two competing interaction terms of the shortest possible range and show this results in a very rich phase diagram with nine different phases, five of which are critical. In addition, we report a wide variety of quantum phase transitions: the tri-critical Ising lines; the Lifshitz critical line characterized by the dynamical critical exponent z=3z=3z=3; two Kosterlitz-Thouless transitions; and an exotic first-order transition between the floating and the gapped phases. However, the most surprising result is the emergence of the commensurate line at which the floating phases collapse into direct transition. We provide numerical evidences that the resulting multicritical point belongs to the universality class of the eight-vertex model. Implications in the context of supersymmetric properties of the Majorana chain are briefly discussed.
We study a supersymmetric model for strongly interacting lattice fermions in the presence of a staggering parameter. The staggering is introduced as a tunable parameter in the manifestly supersymmetric Hamiltonian. We obtain analytic expressions for the ground states in the limit of small and large staggering for the model on the class of doubly decorated lattices. On this type of lattice there are two ground states, each with a different density. In one limit we find these ground states to be a simple Wigner crystal and a valence bond solid state. In the other limit we find two types of quantum liquids. As a special case, we investigate the quantum liquid state on the one dimensional chain in detail. It is characterized by a massless kink that separates two types of order.