Aspects of Duality in Nodal Liquids

TL;DR

This paper develops a relativistic gauge theory from a microscopic model to describe excitations in nodal liquids, highlighting topological effects, confinement, and emergent symmetries in the pseudogap phase.

Contribution

It introduces a dual gauge model with Z_2 symmetry derived from a microscopic t-J like model, revealing confinement and topological excitations in nodal liquids.

Findings

Topological excitations describe pseudogap phase dynamics.

Confinement of spinons and holons emerges naturally.

Emergent Z_2 symmetry appears as the spin gap decreases.

Abstract

Starting from a microscopic t-J like model and a SU(2) spin-charge separation ansatz, a relativistic continuum gauge lagrangian is obtained in the vicinity of a nodal point of the Fermi surface. The excitations in the pseudogap phase are described by topological excitations in the dual model which has a Z_2 global symmetry due to the effect of instantons. Confinement of spinon and holons emerge from this picture. The adjoint and fundamental strings are associated with stripes. As the spin gap decreases a local Z_2 symmetry emerges.