Fractionalized gapless quantum vortex liquids

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel class of gapless spin liquid phases in frustrated quantum magnets where vortices fractionalize into gapless fermions, offering an alternative to traditional fermionic spinon approaches.

Contribution

It proposes and analyzes new gapless vortex liquid phases with fractionalized vortices in XY anisotropic quantum magnets, using a dual slave particle framework.

Findings

Demonstrates stability of certain vortex liquid phases

Provides explicit construction on triangular lattice

Interprets phases as near spin-nematic states

Abstract

The standard theoretical approach to gapless spin liquid phases of two-dimensional frustrated quantum antiferromagnets invokes the concept of fermionic slave particles into which the spin fractionalizes. As an alternate we explore new kinds of gapless spin liquid phases in frustrated quantum magnets with XY anisotropy where the vortex of the spin fractionalizes into gapless itinerant fermions. The resulting gapless fractionalized vortex liquid phases are studied within a slave particle framework that is dual to the usual one. We demonstrate the stability of some such phases and describe their properties. We give an explicit construction in an XY-spin-1 system on triangular lattice, and interpret it as a critical phase in the vicinity of spin-nematic states.