Effective charge of a deconfined slave particle: Comment on ``Confinement of Slave Particles in U(1) Gauge Theories of Strongly Interacting Electrons''

TL;DR

This paper defends the U(1) gauge theory approach to strongly correlated systems, arguing that deconfined slave particles can carry a dynamically determined fractional charge, countering previous criticisms about charge assignment arbitrariness.

Contribution

It clarifies that the effective charge of deconfined slave particles is dynamically determined and not arbitrary, supporting the validity of the U(1) gauge theory approach.

Findings

Deconfined slave particles carry a fractional charge.

Charge assignment arbitrariness does not imply confinement.

Dynamical determination of charge supports deconfinement validity.

Abstract

I reexamine the Nayak's criticism [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 178 (2000); 86, 943 (2001).] on the U(1) gauge theory approach to the strongly correlated systems. Contrary to his conclusion, the arbitrariness of the charge assignment observed by him does not contradict the possibility of a deconfinement. Should the deconfinement occur, the deconfined slave particle carries an effective fractional charge, which is independent of the arbitrary assignment but is rather determined dynamically.