Critical theories of phase transition between symmetry protected topological states and their relation to the gapless boundary theories (original) (raw)
Related papers
Quantum Phase Transitions Between a Class of Symmetry Protected Topological States
2015
The subject of this paper is the phase transition between symmetry protected topological states (SPTs). We consider spatial dimension d and symmetry group G so that the cohomology group, H d+1 (G, U(1)), contains at least one Z 2n or Z factor. We show that the phase transition between the trivial SPT and the root states that generate the Z 2n or Z groups can be induced on the boundary of a (d + 1)-dimensional G × Z T 2-symmetric SPT by a Z T 2 symmetry breaking field. Moreover we show these boundary phase transitions can be "transplanted" to d dimensions and realized in lattice models as a function of a tuning parameter. The price one pays is for the critical value of the tuning parameter there is an extra non-local (duality-like) symmetry. In the case where the phase transition is continuous, our theory predicts the presence of unusual (sometimes fractionalized) excitations corresponding to delocalized boundary excitations of the non-trivial SPT on one side of the transition. This theory also predicts other phase transition scenarios including first order transition and transition via an intermediate symmetry breaking phase.
Gapped symmetric edges of symmetry protected topological phases
Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped quantum phases which host symmetry-protected gapless edge excitations. On the other hand, the edge states can be gapped by spontaneously breaking symmetry. We show that topological defects on the symmetry-broken edge cannot proliferate due to their fractional statistics. A gapped symmetric boundary, however, can be achieved between an SPT phase and certain fractionalized phases by condensing the bound state of a topo-logical defect and an anyon. We demonstrate this by two examples in two dimensions: an exactly solvable model for the boundary between topological Ising paramagnet and double semion model, and a fermionic example about the quantum spin Hall edge. Such a hybrid structure containing both SPT phase and fractionalized phase generally support ground state degeneracy on torus.
Nuclear Physics B, 2019
In an earlier work[1] we developed a holographic theory for the phase transition between bosonic symmetry-protected topological (SPT) states. This paper is a continuation of it. Here we present the holographic theory for fermionic SPT phase transitions. We show that in any dimension d, the critical states of fermionic SPT phase transitions has an emergent Z T 2 symmetry and can be realized on the boundary of a d + 1-dimensional bulk SPT with an extra Z T 2 symmetry.
arXiv (Cornell University), 2013
A large class of symmetry-protected topological phases (SPT) in boson / spin systems have been recently predicted by the group cohomology theory. In this work, we consider SPT states at least with charge symmetry (U(1) or ZN) or spin S z rotation symmetry (U(1) or ZN) in 2D, 3D, and the surface of 3D. If both are U(1), we apply external electromagnetic field / "spin gauge field" to study the charge/spin response. For the SPT examples we consider (i.e. Uc(1) Z T 2 , Us(1)×Z T 2 , Uc(1)×[Us(1) Z2]; subscripts c and s are short for charge and spin; Z T 2 and Z2 are time-reversal symmetry and π-rotation about S y , respectively), many variants of Witten effect in the 3D SPT bulk and various versions of anomalous surface quantum Hall effect are defined and systematically investigated. If charge or spin symmetry reduces to ZN by considering charge-N or spin-N condensate, instead of the linear response approach, we gauge the charge/spin symmetry, leading to a dynamical gauge theory with some remaining global symmetry. The 3D dynamical gauge theory describes a symmetry-enriched topological phase (SET), i.e. a topologically ordered state with global symmetry which admits nontrivial ground state degeneracy depending on spatial manifold topology. For the SPT examples we consider, the corresponding SET states are described by dynamical topological gauge theory with topological BF term and axionic Θ-term in 3D bulk. And the surface of SET is described by the chiral boson theory with quantum anomaly.
Nuclear Physics B, 2017
The study of continuous phase transitions triggered by spontaneous symmetry breaking has brought revolutionary ideas to physics. Recently, through the discovery of symmetry protected topological phases, it is realized that continuous quantum phase transition can also occur between states with the same symmetry but different topology. Here we study a specific class of such phase transitions in 1+1 dimensions-the phase transition between bosonic topological phases protected by Z n × Z n. We find in all cases the critical point possesses two gap opening relevant operators: one leads to a Landau-forbidden symmetry breaking phase transition and the other to the topological phase transition. We also obtained a constraint on the central charge for general phase transitions between symmetry protected bosonic topological phases in 1+1D.
Symmetry Protected Topological Criticality: Decorated Defect Construction, Signatures and Stability
2022
Symmetry protected topological (SPT) phases are one of the simplest, yet nontrivial, gapped systems that go beyond the Landau paradigm. In this work, we study the notion of SPT for critical systems, namely, symmetry protected topological criticality (SPTC). We discuss a systematic way of constructing a large class of SPTCs using decorated defect construction, study the physical observables that characterize the nontrivial topological signatures of SPTCs, and discuss the stability under symmetric perturbations. Our exploration of SPTC is mainly based on several previous studies of gapless SPT: gapless symmetry protected topological order [1], symmetry enriched quantum criticality [2] and intrinsically gapless topological phases [3]. We partially reinterpret these previous studies in terms of decorated defect construction, and discuss their generalizations.
Fermionic symmetry-protected topological phase induced by interactions
Physical Review B, 2015
Strong interactions can give rise to new fermionic symmetry protected topological phases which have no analogs in free fermion systems. As an example, we have systematically studied a spinless fermion model with U (1) charge conservation and time reversal symmetry on a three-leg ladder using density-matrix renormalization group. In the non-interacting limit, there are no topological phases. Turning on interactions, we found two gapped phases. One is trivial and is adiabatically connected to a band insulator, while another one is a nontrivial symmetry protected topological phase resulting from strong interactions.
Symmetry-protected Topological Phases in Lattice Gauge Theories: Topological QED
Phys. Rev. D 99, 014503, 2019
The interplay of symmetry, topology, and many-body effects in the classification of phases of matter poses a formidable challenge in condensed-matter physics. Such many-body effects are typically induced by inter-particle interactions involving an action at a distance, such as the Coulomb interaction between electrons in a symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phase. In this work we show that similar phenomena also occur in certain relativistic theories with interactions mediated by gauge bosons, and constrained by gauge symmetry. In particular, we introduce a variant of the Schwinger model or quantum electrodynamics (QED) in 1+1 dimensions on an interval, which displays dynamical edge states localized on the boundary. We show that the system hosts SPT phases with a dynamical contribution to the vacuum θ-angle from edge states, leading to a new type of topological QED in 1+1 dimensions. The resulting system displays an SPT phase which can be viewed as a correlated version of the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger topological insulator for polyacetylene due to non-zero gauge couplings. We use bosonization and density-matrix renormalization group techniques to reveal the detailed phase diagram, which can further be explored in experiments of ultra-cold atoms in optical lattices. Global and local symmetries play a crucial role in our understanding of Nature at very different energy scales [1, 2]. At high energies, they govern the behavior of fundamental particles [3], their spectrum and interactions [4, 5]. At low energies [6], spontaneous symmetry breaking and local order parameters characterize a wide range of phases of matter [7] and a rich variety of collective phenomena [8]. There are, however, fundamental physical phenomena that can only be characterized by non-local order parameters, such as the Wil-son loops distinguishing confined and deconfined phases in gauge theories [9], or hidden order parameters distinguishing topological phases in solids [10]. The former, requiring a non-perturbative approach to quantum field theory (e.g. lattice gauge theories (LGTs)), and the latter, demanding the introduction of mathematical tools of topology in condensed matter (e.g. topological invariants), lie at the forefront of research in both high-energy and condensed-matter physics. The interplay of symmetry and topology can lead to a very rich, and yet partially-uncharted, territory. For instance, different phases of matter can arise without any symmetry breaking: symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases. Beyond the celebrated integer quantum Hall effect [11-14], a variety of SPT phases have already been identified [15-17] and realized [18]. Let us note that some representative models of these SPT phases [19] can be understood as lower-dimensional versions of the so-called domain-wall fermions [20], introduced in the context of chiral symmetry in lattice field theories [21]. A current problem of considerable interest is to understand strong-correlation effects in SPT phases as interactions are included [22], which may, for instance, lead to exotic fractional excitations [23, 24]. So far, the typical interactions considered involve an action at a distance (e.g. screened Coulomb or Hubbard-like nearest or next-to-nearest neighbor interactions). To the best of our knowledge, and with the recent exception [25], the study of correlated SPT phases with mediated interactions remains a largely-unexplored subject. In this work, we initiate a systematic study of SPT phases with interactions dictated by gauge symmetries focusing on a 2a x c 2n+1 c † 2n (1 − )U 2n U 2n−1 c † 2n−1 c 2n a b U n c n+1 +m s −m s c † n c n n+ + +1 +m m s −m m m m s fermion fields gauge fields FIG. 1. Discretizations for standard and topological QED 2 : (a) Staggered-fermion approach to the massive Schwinger model. The relativistic Dirac field is discretized into spinless lattice fermions subjected to a staggered on-site energy ±m s , represented by filled/empty circles in a 1D chain with alternating heights. The gauge field is discretized into rotor-angle operators that reside on the links, depicted as shaded ellipses with various levels representing the electric flux eigenbasis. The gauge-invariant term c † n U n c n+1 involves the tunneling of neighboring fermions, dressed by a local excitation of the gauge field in the electric-flux basis U n | = | + 1, represented by the zigzag grey arrow joining two neighboring fermion sites, via an excitation of the link electric-flux level. (b) Dimerized-tunneling approach to the topological Schwinger model. The previous staggered mass is substituted by a gauge-invariant tunneling with alternating strengths (1 − δ n)c † n U n c n+1 , where δ n = 0, ∆ for even/odd sites. This dimerization of the tunneling matrix elements is represented by alternating big/small ellipses at the odd/even links. the lattice Schwinger model, an Abelian LGT that regularizes quantum electrodynamics in 1+1 dimensions (QED 2) [26]. We show that a discretization alternative to the standard lattice approach [27] leads to a topological Schwinger model, and derive its continuum limit referred to as topological QED 2. This continuum quantum field theory is used to predict a phase diagram that includes SPT, confined, and fermion-condensate phases, which are then discussed in the context of the afore-mentioned domain-wall fermions in LGTs.
Boundary-obstructed topological phases
Physical Review Research
Symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases are gapped phases of matter that cannot be deformed to a trivial phase without breaking the symmetry or closing the bulk gap. Here we introduce a notion of a topological obstruction that is not captured by bulk energy gap closings in periodic boundary conditions. More specifically, given a symmetric boundary termination we say two bulk Hamiltonians belong to distinct boundary obstructed topological phases (BOTPs) if they can be deformed to each other on a system with periodic boundaries, but cannot be deformed to each other in the open system without closing the gap at at least one high-symmetry surface. BOTPs are not topological phases of matter in the standard sense since they are adiabatically deformable to each other on a torus, but, similar to SPTs, they are associated with boundary signatures in open systems such as surface states or fractional corner charges. In contrast to SPTs, these boundary signatures are not anomalous and can be removed by symmetrically adding lower-dimensional SPTs on the boundary, but they are stable as long as the spectral gap at high-symmetry edges/surfaces remains open. We show that the double-mirror quadrupole model of [W. A. Benalcazar, B. A. Bernevig, and T. L. Hughes, Science 357, 61 (2017)] is a prototypical example of such phases, and present a detailed analysis of several aspects of boundary obstructions in this model. In addition, we introduce several three-dimensional models having boundary obstructions, which are characterized either by surface states or fractional corner charges. Furthermore, we provide a complete characterization of boundary obstructed phases in terms of symmetry representations. Namely, two distinct BOTP phases correspond to equivalent band representations in the periodic system which become inequivalent upon restricting the symmetry group to that of the open system. This is used to shown that for a given open boundary, there is only one class of BOTPs which corresponds to a local representation of the symmetry of the open system and thus can be designated as the trivial phase. All other BOTP classes do not correspond to local representation of the open system and as a result necessarily exhibit a filling anomaly or gapless surface states.
Phase transitions in topological lattice models via topological symmetry breaking
New Journal of Physics, 2012
We study transitions between phases of matter with topological order. By studying these transitions in exactly solvable lattice models we show how universality classes may be identified and critical properties described. As a familiar example to elucidate our results concretely, we describe in detail a transition between a fully gapped achiral 2D p-wave superconductor (p + ip for pseudospin up/p − ip for pseudospin down) to an s-wave superconductor which we show to be in the 2D transverse field Ising universality class.