Soluble limit and criticality of fermions in Z2 gauge theories

TL;DR

This paper introduces a solvable model of fermions in a Z2 gauge theory, revealing rich phase transitions and instabilities, with implications for quantum materials and quantum information processing.

Contribution

It presents an exactly solvable fermion-gauge theory model, maps its phase diagram, and explores transitions and instabilities beyond integrability, linking quantum materials and quantum information.

Findings

Tuned between orthogonal metal and semimetal phases with multiple intermediate states.

Discovered a stepwise Fermi surface transition with several phases.

Developed a diagrammatic technique to analyze phase instabilities.

Abstract

Quantum information theory and strongly correlated electron systems share a common theme of macroscopic quantum entanglement. In both topological error correction codes and theories of quantum materials (spin liquid, heavy fermion and high-$T_c$ systems) entanglement is implemented by means of an emergent gauge symmetry. Inspired by these connections, we introduce a simple model for fermions moving in the deconfined phase of a $\mathbb Z_2$ gauge theory, by coupling Kitaev's toric code to mobile fermions. This permits us to exactly solve the ground state of this system and map out its phase diagram. Reversing the sign of the plaquette term in the toric code, permits us to tune the groundstate between an orthogonal metal and an orthogonal semimetal, in which gapless quasiparticles survive despite a gap in the spectrum of original fermions. The small-to-large Fermi surface transition between these two states occurs in a stepwise fashion with multiple intermediate phases. By using a novel diagrammatic technique we are able to explore physics beyond the integrable point, to examine various instabilities of the deconfined phase and to derive the critical theory at the transition between deconfined and confined phases. We outline how the fermionic toric code can be implemented as a quantum circuit thus providing an important link between quantum materials and quantum information theory.