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arXiv:2307.02547 · Science Advances

Evolution of entanglement entropy at SU( N ) deconfined quantum critical points

Menghan Song, Jiarui Zhao, Meng Cheng, Cenke Xu, Michael M. Scherer, Lukas Janssen, Zi Yang Meng

Published Feb 7, 2025• 27 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Over past two decades, the enigma of the deconfined quantum critical point (DQCP) has attracted broad attention across physics communities, as it offers a new paradigm beyond the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson framework. However, the nature of DQCP has been controversial based on conflicting numeric results. In our work, we demonstrate that an anomalous logarithmic behavior in the entanglement entropy (EE) persists in a class of models analogous to the DQCP. On the basis of quantum Monte Carlo computation of the EE on SU( N ) DQCP spin models, we show that for a series of N smaller than a critical value, the anomalous logarithmic behavior always exists, which implies that previously determined DQCPs in these models do not belong to conformal fixed points. In contrast, when N ≥ N c with an N c we evaluate to lie between 7 and 8, DQCPs are consistent with conformal fixed points that can be understood within the Abelian Higgs field theory.

DOI
10.1126/sciadv.adr0634

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Over past two decades, the enigma of the deconfined quantum critical point (DQCP) has attracted broad attention across physics communities, as it offers a new paradigm beyond the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson framework. However, the nature of DQCP has been controversial based on conflicting numeric results. In our work, we demonstrate that an anomalous logarithmic behavior in the entanglement entropy (EE) persists in a class of models analogous to the DQCP. On the basis of quantum Monte Carlo computation of the EE on SU( N ) DQCP spin models, we show that for a series of N smaller than a critical value, the anomalous logarithmic behavior always exists, which implies that previously determined DQCPs in these models do not belong to conformal fixed points. In contrast, when N ≥ N c with an N c we evaluate to lie between 7 and 8, DQCPs are consistent with conformal fixed points that can be understood within the Abelian Higgs field theory.
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The deconfined quantum critical point (DQCP) in square lattice S=1/2 quantum antiferromagnets has been extensively studied with a large body of evidence pointing to a weakly first-order transition scenario. Recent studies, which focused on entanglement at this nearly continuous DQCP in square lattice J-Q models, have observed conflicting bipartite entanglement entropy (EE) scaling behavior. One bipartition choice gave scaling coefficients in remarkable agreement with predictions from the unitary CFT corresponding to the putative DQCP. While another equally natural choice gave scaling coefficients in complete violation of unitary CFT that may be attributed to lack of scale invariance at the known weakly first-order behavior of the model. This motivates the exploration of DQCP behavior via entanglement measures in lattice models with distinct crystalline symmetries. Here we study a S=1/2 honeycomb model that hosts a nearly continuous transition between Néel and valence-bond-solid ground states relevant to probing DQCP. Using large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we compute the Rényi EE for a variety of bipartitions and test the CFT based description of the DQCP on the honeycomb lattice. For smooth bipartitions, we find no evidence of logarithmic corrections, in accordance with CFT, thereby essentially ruling out contributions from Goldstone modes. For subsystems with corners, CFT predicts universal logarithmic contributions, which we extract for corners with 60 and 120 degree angles and find close agreement with an emergent SO(5) CFT. While we observe scaling consistent with a critical system in the majority of cases, we also demonstrate an intriguing counterexample of the hexagon subsystem that exhibits a subtle period three oscillation. This results in three separate finite-size series, where the sign of the logarithmic term apparently changes depending on the series.
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From the perspective of low-lying excited states, we study the deconfined quantum critical point (DQCP) in a one-dimensional quantum spin chain by means of the entanglement entropy and fidelity. Our results show that there is a close connection between the reconstruction of low-lying excitation spectra and the DQCP. The precise position of the critical point and its continuous nature is indicated by the singular behavior of the entanglement and fidelity of the first-excited state. Furthermore, compared with the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless type phase transitions, which also go beyond the scope of Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm, we attempt to reveal the essence of different types of symmetries on both sides of the DQPT from different manifestations of entanglement singularity.
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