Holographic RG flows with nematic IR phases

TL;DR

This paper constructs holographic models describing RG flows from a Lifshitz fixed point to an IR phase with nematic order, capturing non-relativistic quantum systems with broken rotational symmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a simple holographic model with massive gauge fields and a scalar to realize RG flows with nematic IR phases, connecting Lifshitz and symmetry-breaking geometries.

Findings

Models describe RG flows with nematic IR phases.

Holographically reproduces scaling of quadratic band crossing.

Applicable to strongly coupled non-relativistic systems.

Abstract

We construct zero-temperature geometries that interpolate between a Lifshitz fixed point in the UV and an IR phase that breaks spatial rotations but preserves translations. We work with a simple holographic model describing two massive gauge fields coupled to gravity and a neutral scalar. Our construction can be used to describe RG flows in non-relativistic, strongly coupled quantum systems with nematic order in the IR. In particular, when the dynamical critical exponent of the UV fixed point is z=2 and the IR scaling exponents are chosen appropriately, our model realizes holographically the scaling properties of the bosonic modes of the quadratic band crossing model.