Holographic Magnetic Phase Transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates magnetic phase transitions in strongly interacting fermions using holographic models, revealing a first-order transition with discontinuous magnetization linked to Landau level filling.

Contribution

It introduces a holographic approach to analyze magnetic phase transitions in fermionic systems, highlighting a novel first-order transition mechanism.

Findings

Discontinuous magnetization during the phase transition

Transition associated with fermions jumping to the lowest Landau level

Consistent with known magnetic phase transition behaviors

Abstract

We study four-dimensional interacting fermions in a strong magnetic field, using the holographic Sakai-Sugimoto model of intersecting D4 and D8 branes in the deconfined, chiral-symmetric parallel phase. We find that as the magnetic field is varied, while staying in the parallel phase, the fermions exhibit a first-order phase transition in which their magnetization jumps discontinuously. Properties of this transition are consistent with a picture in which some of the fermions jump to the lowest Landau level. Similarities to known magnetic phase transitions are discussed.