Incommensurate gapless ferromagnetism connecting competing symmetry-enriched deconfined quantum phase transitions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a lattice model demonstrating how a gapless ferromagnetic phase can connect multiple symmetry-enriched deconfined quantum critical points, revealing complex phase transition pathways.

Contribution

It constructs a specific spin model with $ ext{Z}_2 imes ext{Z}_2 imes ext{Z}_2$ symmetry showing novel phase connections and characterizes the nature of the transitions using analytical and numerical methods.

Findings

Identifies a gapless ferromagnetic phase linking multiple quantum critical points.

Maps out a phase diagram with four gapped phases and one extended gapless phase.

Uses DMRG and analytical techniques to analyze phase transitions.

Abstract

We present a scenario, in which a gapless extended phase serves as a "hub" connecting multiple symmetry-enriched deconfined quantum critical points. As a concrete example, we construct a lattice model with $\mathbb{Z}^{\,}_{2}\times \mathbb{Z}^{\,}_{2}\times \mathbb{Z}^{\,}_{2}$ symmetry for quantum spin-1/2 degrees of freedom that realizes four distinct gapful phases supporting antiferromagnetic long-range order and one extended incommensurate gapless ferromagnetic phase. The quantum phase transition between any two of the four gapped and antiferromagnetic phases goes through either a (deconfined) quantum critical point, a quantum tricritical point, or the incommensurate gapless ferromagnetic phase. In this phase diagram, it is possible to interpolate between four deconfined quantum critical points by passing through the extended gapless ferromagnetic phase. We identify the phases in the model and the nature of the transitions between them through a combination of analytical arguments and density matrix renormalization group studies.