Absence of nontrivial local conserved quantities in a class of $U(1)$-symmetric spin-1 chains

Abstract

We prove the absence of nontrivial local conserved quantities in a class of $U(1)$-symmetric spin-$1$ chains with nearest-neighbor interactions in which some of the quadrupolar couplings vanish, a class that is not covered by previous studies. Applying the technique of Shiraishi to these systems, we show that, for every model in this class on a periodic chain of $N$ sites, there is no $k$-local conserved quantity for any $3\le k\le N/2$. In particular, for a frustration-free spin-$1$ chain that exhibits spontaneous $U(1)$ symmetry breaking at zero temperature in one spatial dimension, we prove that every local conserved quantity with support up to half of the system size is a linear combination of the identity, the total magnetization $S^z$, and the Hamiltonian itself. This rigorously establishes that, unlike the Heisenberg ferromagnet, the model admits no local order parameter commuting with the Hamiltonian, so that its continuous symmetry breaking is enabled by the frustration-free structure rather than by a conserved order parameter. We also prove the absence of $k$-local conserved quantities for $3\le k\le N/2$ in the periodic Motzkin chain, a frustration-free spin-$1$ chain closely related to the original Motzkin chain, for which spontaneous $U(1)$ symmetry breaking at zero temperature has also been reported.