Phase transitions in topological lattice models via topological symmetry breaking

TL;DR

This paper investigates phase transitions between topologically ordered phases in lattice models, identifying universality classes and critical properties, exemplified by a transition in superconductors belonging to the 2D Ising class.

Contribution

It introduces a method to analyze topological phase transitions in exactly solvable lattice models and characterizes their universality classes.

Findings

Transition between topological phases characterized

Identifies 2D Ising universality class for a superconductor transition

Provides detailed analysis of critical properties

Abstract

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.