On Fractionalized Quantum Criticality in Two Dimensional O(3) Antiferromagnets

C.P. Landee

Anonymous

Tao Hong

Ki‐Seok Kim

We investigate the continuous quantum phase transition from an antiferromagnetic metal to a heavy-fermion liquid based on the Kondo lattice model in two dimensions. We propose that antiferromagnetic spin fluctuations and conduction electrons fractionalize into neutral bosonic spinons and charged spinless fermions at the quantum critical point. This deconfined quantum criticality leads us to establish a critical field theory in terms of the fractionalized fields interacting via emergent U(1) gauge fields. The critical field theory not only predicts non-Fermi liquid physics near the quantum critical point but also recovers Fermi liquid physics away from the quantum critical point.

Jason Alicea, Michael Hermele, Olexei I. Motrunich +1 more

Zaira Nazario, David Santiago

We show that despite the absence of a Hopf term and zero Berry phase terms, the N`eel ordered phase of 2+1 D quantum antiferromagnets have spin 1/2 excitations, i.e. spinons. The spinons are skyrmion excitations of a topological nature. Since skyrmion gap is proportional to the spin stiffness, quantum criticality corresponds to skyrmion gap collapse. We speculate that skyrmions are relevant at criticality and are, perhaps, related to recent suggestions of critical fractionalization.