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Progress of Theoretical Physics Supplement

Weak First-Order Superfluid-Solid Quantum Transitions and Deconfined Criticality

Anatoly B. Kuklov, Nikolay V. Prokof'ev, Boris V. Svistunov

Published Jan 1, 2005• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We examine recent theoretical predictions for two-dimensional lattice bosonic/spin systems that superfluid-solid (SF-S) quantum phase transitions are often continuous and do not fit the canonical Ginzburg-Landau-Wilson (GLW) picture.We show that the GLW theory based on extended broken symmetry is consistent with existing numerical data, which report weak first-order transitions or problems with the finite-size scaling.This GLW theory excludes generic continuous SF-S transitions and quantum disordered phases.Remarkably, the phase diagram of the deconfined critical action itself features a weak first-order phase transition with spinon deconfinement, in accordance with the conventional theory.Problems with data collapse even in the regime of weak interactions between the spinons strongly suggest that the first-order deconfinement transition is the only possible outcome. * )Since the first study of the SF-VBS point within the J-current model, we have observed numerous first-order SF-VBS transitions for different sets of Hamiltonian parameters.

DOI
10.1143/ptps.160.337

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We examine recent theoretical predictions for two-dimensional lattice bosonic/spin systems that superfluid-solid (SF-S) quantum phase transitions are often continuous and do not fit the canonical Ginzburg-Landau-Wilson (GLW) picture.We show that the GLW theory based on extended broken symmetry is consistent with existing numerical data, which report weak first-order transitions or problems with the finite-size scaling.This GLW theory excludes generic continuous SF-S transitions and quantum disordered phases.Remarkably, the phase diagram of the deconfined critical action itself features a weak first-order phase transition with spinon deconfinement, in accordance with the conventional theory.Problems with data collapse even in the regime of weak interactions between the spinons strongly suggest that the first-order deconfinement transition is the only possible outcome. * )Since the first study of the SF-VBS point within the J-current model, we have observed numerous first-order SF-VBS transitions for different sets of Hamiltonian parameters.
Monte Carlo study of the deconfined critical action phase diagram reveals a region where spinon deconfinement occurs through a weak first-order phase transition, in agreement with Ginzburg-Landau theory. Wilson renormalization argument in combination with the absence of the data collapse even in the regime of weak interaction between the spinons casts a serious doubt on the possibility of the continuous deconfinement transition. We also argue that if a continuous deconfined criticality does exist on the phase diagram, its nature is analogous, in a certain precise sense, to that of the XY universality class.
Monte Carlo study of the deconfined critical action phase diagram reveals a region where spinon deconfinement occurs through a weak first-order phase transition, in agreement with Ginzburg- Landau theory. Wilson renormalization argument in combination with the absence of the data collapse even in the regime of weak interaction between the spinons casts a serious doubt on the possibility of the continuous deconfinement transition. We also argue that if a continuous deconfined criticality does exist on the phase diagram, its nature is analogous, in a certain precise sense, to that of the XY universality class
We present the critical theory of a number of zero-temperature phase transitions of quantum antiferromagnets and interacting boson systems in two dimensions. The most important example is the transition of the S=1∕2S=1∕2S=1∕2 square lattice antiferromagnet between the N\'eel state (which breaks spin rotation invariance) and the paramagnetic valence bond solid (which preserves spin rotation invariance but breaks lattice symmetries). We show that these two states are separated by a second-order quantum phase transition. This conflicts with Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson theory, which predicts that such states with distinct broken symmetries are generically separated either by a first-order transition, or by a phase with co-existing orders. The critical theory of the second-order transition is not expressed in terms of the order parameters characterizing either state, but involves fractionalized degrees of freedom and an emergent, topological, global conservation law. A closely related theory describes the superfluid-insulator transition of bosons at half filling on a square lattice, in which the insulator has a bond density wave order. Similar considerations are shown to apply to transitions of antiferromagnets between the valence bond solid and the Z2{Z}_{2}Z2​ spin liquid: the critical theory has deconfined excitations interacting with an emergent U(1)\mathrm{U}(1)U(1) gauge force. We comment on the broader implications of our results for the study of quantum criticality in correlated electron systems.
The deconfined quantum critical point was proposed as a second-order quantum phase transition between two broken-symmetry phases beyond the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm. However, numerical studies cannot completely rule out a weakly-first-order transition because of strong violations of finite-size scaling. We demonstrate that the fidelity is a simple probe to study the deconfined quantum critical point. We study the ground-state fidelity susceptibility close to the deconfined quantum critical point in a spin chain using the large-scale finite-size density-matrix renormalization-group method. We find that the finite-size scaling of the fidelity susceptibility obeys the conventional scaling behavior for continuous phase transitions, supporting the idea that the deconfined quantum phase transition is continuous. We numerically determine the deconfined quantum critical point and the associated correlation length critical exponent from the finite-size-scaling theory of the fidelity susceptibility. Our results are consistent with recent results obtained directly from the matrix product states for infinite-size lattices using others observables. Our work provides a useful probe to study critical behaviors at the deconfined quantum critical point from the concept of quantum information.
Abstract Deconfined quantum critical points (DQCPs) have been proposed as a class of continuous quantum phase transitions occurring between two ordered phases with distinct symmetry-breaking patterns, beyond the conventional framework of Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson (LGW) theory. At the DQCP, the system exhibits emergent gauge fields, fractionalized excitations, and enhanced symmetries. Here we review recent theoretical and experimental progress on exploring DQCPs in condensed matter systems. We first introduce theoretical advancements in the study of DQCPs over the past twenty years, particularly in magnetic models on square lattices, honeycomb lattices, kagome lattices, and one-dimensional spin chains. We then discuss recent progress on experimental realization of DQCP in quantum magnetic systems. Experimentally, the Shastry-Sutherland model, realized in SrCu2(BO3)2, offers a particularly promising platform for realizing DQCPs. The magnetic frustration inherent to this model drives phase transitions between two distinct symmetry-breaking states: a valence bond solid (VBS) phase and a Néel antiferromagnetic phase. Remarkably, SrCu2(BO3)2 has provided the first experimental evidence of a proximate DQCP through a field-induced Bose-Einstein condensation, transitioning from the VBS state to the Néel state. Nevertheless, the direct experimental realization of a DQCP remains a significant challenge. Despite this, it offers a promising platform for exploring emergent phenomena through quantum phase transition in low-dimensional quantum systems.
We perform a numerical study of a spin-1/2 model with ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ symmetry in one dimension which demonstrates an interesting similarity to the physics of two-dimensional deconfined quantum critical points (DQCP). Specifically, we investigate the quantum phase transition between Ising ferromagnetic and valence bond solid (VBS) symmetry-breaking phases. Working directly in the thermodynamic limit using uniform matrix product states, we find evidence for a direct continuous phase transition that lies outside of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm. In our model, the continuous transition is found everywhere on the phase boundary. We find that the magnetic and VBS correlations show very close power-law exponents, which is expected from the self-duality of the parton description of this DQCP. Critical exponents vary continuously along the phase boundary in a manner consistent with the predictions of the field theory for this transition. We also find a regime where the phase boundary splits, as suggested by the theory, introducing an intermediate phase of coexisting ferromagnetic and VBS order parameters. Interestingly, we discover a transition involving this coexistence phase which is similar to the DQCP, being also disallowed by the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson symmetry-breaking theory.