By appropriately perturbing a critical transverse-field Ising chain away from its critical point, the system can develop a finite correlation length with a characteristic purely massive spectrum, whose ratios and correlations are precisely described by an integrable field theory and an infinite set of integrals of motion corresponding to the
E8 Lie algebra. In this work, we report on experimental observation of a characteristic massive spectrum close to transverse field-induced dimensional reduction in a quasi-two-dimensional quantum magnet Cu
2(OH)
3Br, providing evidence for an emergent
E8 symmetry and the corresponding excitations of bound states in the sublattice of its ferromagnetic chains. These results demonstrate the power of integrable field theory in describing emergent many-body quantum critical phenomena in condensed matter systems.
Abstract Quantum integrability provides a unique and powerful framework for accurately understanding quantum magnetism. In this review, we focus specifically on several quantum integrable low-dimensional quantum Ising models. We begin with the transverse field Ising chain (TFIC) at quantum critical point and examine how it evolves under perturbations, such as an applied longitudinal field or weak coupling to another quantum critical TFIC. These perturbations reveal a wealth of emergent quantum integrable field theories with exotic many-body excitations, elegantly characterized by conformal invariance and the E 8 and D 8 ( 1 ) Lie algebras, respectively. In exploring these models, we also delve into the framework of exact scattering matrices, which is related to determining spin dynamics within these systems. Finally, we show how the emergent phenomena in these integrable quantum Ising models find experimental realization in Co-based quasi-one-dimensional quantum magnetic materials. The substantial theoretical and experimental advancements in these systems highlight the profound connections between quantum integrable field theory, statistical field theory, and condensed matter physics.
Exotic excitations can emerge in the vicinity of a quantum phase transition. When the quantum critical point of the one-dimensional (1D) transverse field Ising model is perturbed by a longitudinal magnetic field, it was predicted that its massive excitations are precisely described by the exceptional E
8 Lie algebra. Here we show an unambiguous experimental realization of the massive E
8 phase in the quasi-1D antiferromagnetic material BaCo
2V
2O
8, via nuclear magnetic resonance and inelastic neutron scattering measurements, and detailed theoretical analysis. The large separation between the masked 1D and 3D quantum critical points of the system allows us to identify, for the first time, the full 8 single-particle E
8 excitations as well as various multi-particle states in the spin excitation spectrum. Our results open new experimental route for exploring the dynamics of quantum integrable systems and physics beyond integrability, and thus bridge key physics in condensed matter and statistical field theory.