Deconfined quantum critical points (DQCPs) involving lattice symmetries evade the conventional Landau paradigm because the competing orders break incompatible internal and crystalline symmetries. We show that a class of DQCPs can nevertheless be understood as Landau-type transitions after gauging anomalous onsite symmetries. For spin chains with Lieb-Schultz-Mattis (LSM) anomalies, gauging produces a noninvertible lattice translation whose fusion closes only up to ordinary translations, giving rise to a crystalline categorical symmetry. In the gauged description, the original DQCP becomes a transition between different symmetry breaking patterns of this categorical symmetry. We demonstrate this mechanism in microscopic lattice models; the magnetic-valence-bond-solid (VBS) DQCP realizes a Rep(
D8)-type crystalline categorical Landau transition, whereas a y-antiferromagnetic-VBS DQCP realizes a Rep(
H8)-type one. Although Rep(
D8) and Rep(
H8) share the same fusion rules, they have inequivalent
F-symbols and therefore define distinct categorical descriptions. Our results show that the universal categorical structure underlying these DQCPs is encoded in the full fusion category, rather than in the fusion ring alone.
We have investigated the behavior and stability of a Wigner crystal of rotating dipolar fermions in two dimensions. Using an ansatz wave function for the ground state of rotating two-dimensional dipolar fermions, which occupy only partially the lowest Landau level, we study the correlation energy, elastic moduli and collective modes of Wigner crystals in the lowest Landau level. We then calculate the mean square of the displacement vector of Wigner crystals. The critical filling factor, below which the crystalline state is expected, is evaluated at absolute zero by use of the Lindeman's criterion. We find that the particle (hole) crystal is locally stable for filling factor is less than 1/15 (between filling factors 14/15 and 1), where the stable regime of the crystal is much narrower than the result from Baranov, Fehrmann and Lewenstein, [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 200402 (2008)].
We investigate liquid crystalline phases with nematic order at (1/3)-filling of the valence Landau level (LL). We generalize Laughlin's fractional quantum Hall (QH) effect wavefunction at ν = (1/3) to include anisotropic nodal distribution by modifying the Jastrow factors. Lengthy Monte Carlo simulations are then used to determine with unprecedented accuracy the (anisotropic) pair distribution function g ( r ) and static structure factor S ( q ) for various degrees of anisotropy. The determination of the correlation energies at (1/3)-filling of an arbitrary LL is then performed by using standard mappings of g ( r ) and S ( q ) to higher LLs. Our results indicate that while Laughlin's state is stable in the lowest LL, there are regions of instability towards nematic order in higher LLs. Possible connections to the recently discovered QH liquid crystals are discussed.