Continuous phase transition from Néel state to Z_2 spin-liquid state on a square lattice
- Creators
- Qi, Yang
- Gu, Zheng-Cheng
Abstract
Recent numerical studies of the J_1-J_2 model on a square lattice suggest a possible continuous phase transition between the Néel state and a gapped spin-liquid state with Z_2 topological order. We show that such a phase transition can be realized through two steps: First bring the Néel state to the U(1) deconfined quantum critical point, which has been studied in the context of Néel–valence bond solid (VBS) state phase transition. Then condense the spinon pair–skyrmion/antiskyrmion bound state, which carries both gauge charge and flux of the U(1) gauge field emerging at the deconfined quantum critical point. We also propose a Schwinger boson projective wave function to realize such a Z_2 spin liquid state and find that it has a relatively low variational energy (−0.4893J_1/site) for the J_1-J_2 model at J_2=0.5J_1. The spin liquid state we obtain breaks the fourfold rotational symmetry of the square lattice and therefore is a nematic spin liquid state. This direct continuous phase transition from the Néel state to a spin liquid state may be realized in the J_1-J_2 model, or the anisotropic J_(1x)-J_(1y)-J_2 model.
Additional Information
© 2014 American Physical Society. Received 29 September 2013; revised manuscript received 4 June 2014; published 19 June 2014. We thank L. Wang, C. Xu, T. Senthil, E.-G. Moon, and S. Sachdev for useful discussions. Y.Q. is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China through Grant No. 11104154 and by National Basic Research Program of China through Grant No. 2011CBA00108. Z.C.G. is supported in part by the NSF Frontiers Center with support from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.Attached Files
Published - PhysRevB.89.235122.pdf
Submitted - 1308.2759v2.pdf
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Additional details
- Alternative title
- Continuous phase transition from Néel state to Z2 spin-liquid state on a square lattice
- Eprint ID
- 49633
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20140912-080434986
- 11104154
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
- 2011CBA00108
- National Basic Research Program of China
- NSF
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Created
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2014-09-12Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-10Created from EPrint's last_modified field