Compact quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions and spinon deconfinement: A renormalization group analysis

Journal Article · Tue Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2008 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVB.77.045107· OSTI ID:21070018

Nogueira, Flavio S; Kleinert, Hagen ^[1]

---

1. Institut fuer Theoretische Physik, Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, D-14195 Berlin (Germany)

We discuss compact 2+1 dimensional Maxwell electrodynamics coupled to fermionic matter with N replica. For large enough N, the latter corresponds to an effective theory for the nearest neighbor SU(N) Heisenberg antiferromagnet, in which the fermions represent solitonic excitations known as spinons. Here, we show that the spinons are deconfined for N>N{sub c}=36, thus leading to an insulating state known as spin liquid. A previous analysis considerably underestimated the value of N{sub c}. We show further that for 20<N{<=}36, there can be either a confined or a deconfined phase, depending on the instanton density. For N{<=}20, only the confined phase exists. For the physically relevant value N=2, we argue that no paramagnetic phase can emerge since chiral symmetry breaking would disrupt it. In such a case, a spin liquid or any other nontrivial paramagnetic state (for instance, a valence-bond solid) is only possible if doping or frustrating interactions are included.

• OSTI ID: 21070018
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 77; ISSN 1098-0121
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
CHIRAL SYMMETRY
COMPACTS
FERMIONS
HEISENBERG MODEL
LIQUIDS
PARAMAGNETISM
QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS
RENORMALIZATION
SOLITONS
SPIN
SYMMETRY BREAKING