Magnetic monopole plasma phase in (2+1)d compact quantum electrodynamics with fermionic matter

TL;DR

This study provides lattice simulation evidence that magnetic monopoles in (2+1)d compact QED with fermions are in a plasma phase, affecting the stability of U(1) spin liquids.

Contribution

First lattice simulation evidence showing monopoles in cQED3 with fermions are in a plasma phase, independent of four-Fermi coupling strength.

Findings

Monopole susceptibility diverges with lattice size at weak couplings.

Crossover from dense monopole plasma to dilute gas at strong couplings.

Monopole plasma phase impacts U(1) spin liquid stability.

Abstract

We present the first evidence from lattice simulations that the magnetic monopoles in three dimensional compact quantum electrodynamics (cQED3) with N_f=2 and N_f= 4 four-component fermion flavors are in a plasma phase. The evidence is based mainly on the divergence of the monopole susceptibility (polarizability) with the lattice size at weak gauge couplings. A weak four-Fermi term added to the cQED3 action enabled simulations with massless fermions. The exact chiral symmetry of the interaction terms forbids symmetry breaking lattice discretization counterterms to appear in the theory's effective action. It is also shown that the scenario of a monopole plasma does not depend on the strength of the four-Fermi coupling. Other observables such as the densities of "isolated" dipoles and monopoles and the so-called specific heat show that a crossover from a dense monopole plasma to a dilute monopole gas occurs at strong couplings. The implications of our results on the stability of U(1) spin liquids in two spatial dimensions are also discussed.