Showing 1–50 of 202 results for author: Fradkin, E

Interferometric Signatures of Zero Modes in Fractional Quantum Hall-Superconductor Heterostructures

Authors: Junyi Cao, Ramanjit Sohal, Angela Kou, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Fractional quantum Hall-superconductor (FQH-SC) heterostructures are predicted to host defect-bound parafermion zero modes (PZMs). We propose two related configurations to probe their fusion structure. In a Josephson junction coupled to a single quantum point contact (QPC), quasiparticle tunneling switches the defect fusion channel, producing stochastic transitions between branches of the fraction… ▽ More Fractional quantum Hall-superconductor (FQH-SC) heterostructures are predicted to host defect-bound parafermion zero modes (PZMs). We propose two related configurations to probe their fusion structure. In a Josephson junction coupled to a single quantum point contact (QPC), quasiparticle tunneling switches the defect fusion channel, producing stochastic transitions between branches of the fractional Josephson spectrum. Embedding the junction in a two-QPC Fabry-Pérot interferometer provides a complementary probe. Weak zero mode tunneling produces fusion-channel-dependent interference while strong tunneling makes the interferometer probe a superposition of fusion channels and strongly suppresses the signal: in the topological limit it vanishes exactly, revealing the defects' non-Abelian nature even when the parent FQH state is Abelian. △ Less

Submitted 19 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 14 pages, 3 figures

Chern insulator boundary criticality

Authors: Benjamin Moy, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We investigate signatures of chirality at Chern insulator transitions in the presence of a boundary. The transition between a trivial insulator and a Chern insulator with Chern number $C=1$ is described by a massless Dirac fermion whose parity anomaly gives a critical Hall conductivity $σ_{xy}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{e^2}{h}$. Using a Dirac mass domain wall construction, we show that the chiral edge mode… ▽ More We investigate signatures of chirality at Chern insulator transitions in the presence of a boundary. The transition between a trivial insulator and a Chern insulator with Chern number $C=1$ is described by a massless Dirac fermion whose parity anomaly gives a critical Hall conductivity $σ_{xy}=\frac{1}{2}\frac{e^2}{h}$. Using a Dirac mass domain wall construction, we show that the chiral edge mode delocalizes into the bulk at criticality, but the boundary fermion correlation function retains a chiral structure and acquires the scaling dimension of the bulk fermion. We compute current correlation functions and demonstrate that the anomaly of the bulk Hall response is matched by delocalized chiral modes near the boundary. Using only the residual conformal symmetry of a (2+1)d conformal field theory (CFT) in a half-space, we identify parity-odd terms in current and energy-momentum tensor correlation functions that encode these modes and determine their electromagnetic and gravitational anomaly coefficients. Our analysis therefore applies to general time-reversal breaking (2+1)d CFTs, beyond the free Dirac transition. We also extend our results to higher Chern number transitions and to the transition between a (3+1)d topological insulator and a trivial insulator. △ Less

Submitted 18 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 34+17 pages, 3 figures

Vestigial Nematic Order at Zero Temperature in Two-Dimensional Frustrated Quantum Antiferromagnets

Authors: Matthew C. O'Brien, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The phase diagram of the two-dimensional quantum $J_1$-$J_3$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice is a long-standing open problem. Despite recent advances in numerical techniques for quantum spin models, a detailed analytical theory is still lacking. We address this problem using a semiclassical approach based on a continuum nonlinear sigma model effective field theory, applying the nonp… ▽ More The phase diagram of the two-dimensional quantum $J_1$-$J_3$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice is a long-standing open problem. Despite recent advances in numerical techniques for quantum spin models, a detailed analytical theory is still lacking. We address this problem using a semiclassical approach based on a continuum nonlinear sigma model effective field theory, applying the nonperturbative large-$N$ technique to map out the phase diagram and determine the magnetic correlations. We show that previously-overlooked interactions are crucial for stabilizing a vestigial nematic phase, both at finite and zero temperature. Our results reveal that the spontaneous breaking of global symmetries in the $J_1$-$J_3$ model is controlled by the strength of infrared quantum fluctuations which are enhanced by proximity to the classical Lifshitz point. △ Less

Submitted 29 May, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 21 pages, 10 figures

Evidence of intertwined pair density and charge density wave orders in UTe2

Authors: Zhen Zhu, Yudi Huang, Julian May-Mann, Kaiming Liu, Zheyu Wu, Shanta R. Saha, Johnpierre Paglione, Alexander G. Eaton, Andrej Cabala, Michal Vališka, Eduardo Fradkin, Vidya Madhavan

Abstract: The strongly correlated spin-triplet superconductor UTe2 hosts an unusual landscape of magnetic-field-sensitive charge density wave (CDW) phases, positioning it as a compelling system for studying intertwined electronic orders. A central challenge is determining whether the observed charge modulations arise from a triplet pair density wave (PDW) order and, if so, how the anisotropic magnetic field… ▽ More The strongly correlated spin-triplet superconductor UTe2 hosts an unusual landscape of magnetic-field-sensitive charge density wave (CDW) phases, positioning it as a compelling system for studying intertwined electronic orders. A central challenge is determining whether the observed charge modulations arise from a triplet pair density wave (PDW) order and, if so, how the anisotropic magnetic field response of triplet superconductivity is manifested in the CDW response. Here, using a scanning tunneling microscope equipped with a vector magnetic field, we systematically investigate the evolution and interrelation of distinct CDW orders. Complementing the previously identified incommensurate CDW peaks (qi=1,2,3), we resolve an additional set of nondispersive modulations (pi=1,2,3 and h1,2) with distinct temperature and magnetic field dependencies. The pi CDW peaks vanish near Tc, while the qi peaks survive well above Tc but are progressively suppressed by magnetic field in an anisotropic manner. The critical fields of the qi peaks mirror the directional hierarchy of Hc2, which suggests a PDW is present above the bulk Tc. This is consistent with a Landau free-energy picture where PDWs with wavevectors pi form above the bulk Tc, leading to composite CDW orders with wavevector qi. Below Tc, the coupling of PDWs and uniform superconductivity leads to the pi CDWs. Together, these findings establish UTe2 as a rare platform where both the parent PDW and descendant orders are directly resolved, enabling access to both the fundamental and emergent manifestations of PDW physics. △ Less

Submitted 25 June, 2026; v1 submitted 9 March, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

Comments: Accepted for publication in PNAS

Journal ref: PNAS 123 (29) e2602117123 (2026)

Superconducting States and Intertwined Orders in Metallic Altermagnets

Authors: Xuan Zou, Rafael M. Fernandes, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Altermagnets are a newly identified class of magnets with nodal spin-split band structures, providing a fertile platform for studying unconventional superconductivity and intertwined orders. Here we investigate multicomponent superconductivity and fluctuation-induced intertwined orders in an interacting $d$-wave metallic altermagnet that is invariant under a combination of a fourfold rotation… ▽ More Altermagnets are a newly identified class of magnets with nodal spin-split band structures, providing a fertile platform for studying unconventional superconductivity and intertwined orders. Here we investigate multicomponent superconductivity and fluctuation-induced intertwined orders in an interacting $d$-wave metallic altermagnet that is invariant under a combination of a fourfold rotation $C_4$ and time-reversal symmetry $T$. Within mean-field theory, the superconducting ground-state manifold is described in terms of two equal-spin two-component $p$-wave gap functions $(Δ_A^x,Δ_B^y)$ and $(Δ_A^y,Δ_B^x)$, where $A$ and $B$ refer to the two spin-polarized Fermi surfaces related by $C_4T$ symmetry. Because these two sets of gap functions condense at different temperatures, a rich phase diagram with multiple superconducting phase transitions emerges. Distinct fluctuations of sub-leading normal-state instabilities that compete with altermagnetism lift the degeneracy of the multicomponent pairing state in different ways. While nematic fluctuations enhance competition between distinct superconducting components and stabilize nematic superconducting phases, spin current-loop fluctuations promote coexistence and select a pair of chiral states. Our results uncover the pairing structure and elucidate how intertwined sub-leading fluctuations shape superconducting order in altermagnetic metals, suggesting a route toward realizing nematic and topological superconductivity. △ Less

Submitted 4 March, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

Comments: 10 pages, 5 figures, plus appendices

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 114, 014504 (2026)

Intertwined Orders and the Physics of High Temperature Superconductors

Authors: Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Complex phase diagrams are generic feature of quantum materials that display high temperature superconductivity. In addition to d-wave superconductivity (or other unconventional states), these phase diagrams typically include various forms of charge-ordered phases, including charge-density-waves and/or spin-density waves, and electronic nematic states. In most cases these phases have critical temp… ▽ More Complex phase diagrams are generic feature of quantum materials that display high temperature superconductivity. In addition to d-wave superconductivity (or other unconventional states), these phase diagrams typically include various forms of charge-ordered phases, including charge-density-waves and/or spin-density waves, and electronic nematic states. In most cases these phases have critical temperatures comparable in magnitude to that of the superconducting state, and appear in a "pseudo-gap" regime. In these systems the high temperature state is not a good metal with well-defined quasiparticles but a "strange metal". These states typically arise from doping a strongly correlated Mott insulator. With my collaborators we have identified these behaviors as a problem with "Intertwined Orders". A Pair-density wave is a type of superconducting state which embodies the physics of intertwined orders. Here I discus the phenomenology of intertwined orders and the quantum materials that are known to display these behaviors. △ Less

Submitted 25 July, 2025; v1 submitted 26 June, 2025; originally announced June 2025.

Comments: Expanded text of my talk at the conference on Recent Progress in Many Body Theories 22 (Tsukuba, Japan, September 23-27, 2024), published in the proceedings of the conference; 30 pages, 16 figures, 161 references (edited version)

Journal ref: Particles 8, 70 (2025)

Vortex flow anisotropy in nematic superconductors

Authors: F. Castillo Menegotto, R. S. Severino, P. D. Mininni, E. Fradkin, V. Bekeris, G. Pasquini, G. S. Lozano

Abstract: We investigate the vortex flow anisotropy in the mixed state of nematic superconductors, focusing on the effects of nematic-superconducting coupling on vortex dynamics. Using numerical simulations within a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) approach, we analyze vortex viscosity in a model featuring an s-wave superconducting order parameter coupled to an Ising-like nematic order parameter, suita… ▽ More We investigate the vortex flow anisotropy in the mixed state of nematic superconductors, focusing on the effects of nematic-superconducting coupling on vortex dynamics. Using numerical simulations within a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) approach, we analyze vortex viscosity in a model featuring an s-wave superconducting order parameter coupled to an Ising-like nematic order parameter, suitable for systems with $C_4$ symmetry. Our results indicate that nematicity induces a significant anisotropy in the flux-flow resistivity, which depends on both vortex core shape anisotropy and normal-phase conductivity anisotropy. These two effects can either compete or cooperate with each other. We discuss the implications of these findings for identifying nematic superconductivity in the superconducting phase. Our work provides new insights into the interplay between nematic and superconducting order parameters, leading to new possibilities for experimental and theoretical exploration of anisotropic transport properties in unconventional superconductors. △ Less

Submitted 30 April, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Charge order-driven nematicity in the nickel-pnictide superconductor Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$Ni$_2$As$_2$

Authors: Thomas Johnson, Camille Bernal-Choban, Sangjun Lee, Xuefei Guo, Stella Sun, John Collini, Christopher Eckberg, Johnpierre Paglione, Rafael M. Fernandes, Eduardo Fradkin, Peter Abbamonte

Abstract: Nematic order refers to the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry while preserving translational symmetry. First identified in classical liquid crystals, nematic order arises from the collective alignment of anisotropic molecules. Its quantum counterpart, electronic nematicity, has been observed in a variety of quantum materials, ranging from unconventional superconductors to kagome metals.… ▽ More Nematic order refers to the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetry while preserving translational symmetry. First identified in classical liquid crystals, nematic order arises from the collective alignment of anisotropic molecules. Its quantum counterpart, electronic nematicity, has been observed in a variety of quantum materials, ranging from unconventional superconductors to kagome metals. Despite its prevalence, there is no universal understanding of the conditions under which nematic order occurs. Electronic nematicity is most firmly established in iron-based superconductors, where it is understood to be a consequence of vestigial spin density wave (SDW) order. However, direct evidence for nematicity arising from other types of order are lacking. Here, we report direct evidence for charge-order-driven electronic nematicity in Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_x$Ni$_2$As$_2$, a nickel-based analog of the iron pnictides known to exhibit charge density wave (CDW) order. Using x-ray diffraction under applied uniaxial strain, we observe a pronounced symmetry-breaking response-up to $\sim 50 \%$-in the intensity of incommensurate CDW Bragg peaks, even at small strain levels ($ε_{xy} \sim 10^{-3}$). This effect occurs within the same region of the phase diagram where a giant nematic susceptibility is observed in transport measurements. These results provide direct evidence that long-range CDW order can drive nematic behavior in quantum materials. △ Less

Submitted 14 January, 2026; v1 submitted 17 April, 2025; originally announced April 2025.

Intertwined order of generalized global symmetries

Authors: Benjamin Moy, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We investigate the interplay of generalized global symmetries in 2+1 dimensions in a lattice model that couples a $\mathbb{Z}_N$ clock model to a $\mathbb{Z}_N$ gauge theory via a topological interaction. This coupling binds the charges of one symmetry to the disorder operators of the other, and when these composite objects condense, they give rise to emergent generalized symmetries with mixed 't… ▽ More We investigate the interplay of generalized global symmetries in 2+1 dimensions in a lattice model that couples a $\mathbb{Z}_N$ clock model to a $\mathbb{Z}_N$ gauge theory via a topological interaction. This coupling binds the charges of one symmetry to the disorder operators of the other, and when these composite objects condense, they give rise to emergent generalized symmetries with mixed 't Hooft anomalies. These anomalies result in phases with ordinary symmetry breaking, topological order, and symmetry-protected topological (SPT) order, where the different types of order are not independent but intimately related. We further explore the gapped boundary states of these exotic phases and develop theories for phase transitions between them. Additionally, we extend this lattice model to incorporate a non-invertible global symmetry, which can be spontaneously broken, leading to domain walls with non-trivial fusion rules. △ Less

Submitted 25 April, 2025; v1 submitted 3 December, 2024; originally announced December 2024.

Comments: 86 pages, 13 figures; added references and made minor revisions; to be published in SciPost Physics

Journal ref: SciPost Phys. 18, 157 (2025)

Measurement of the dynamic charge susceptibility near the charge density wave transition in ErTe$_3$

Authors: Dipanjan Chaudhuri, Qianni Jiang, Xuefei Guo, Jin Chen, Caitlin S. Kengle, Farzaneh Hoveyda-Marashi, Camille Bernal-Choban, Niels de Vries, Tai-Chang Chiang, Eduardo Fradkin, Ian R. Fisher, Peter Abbamonte

Abstract: A charge density wave (CDW) is a phase of matter characterized by a periodic modulation of the valence electron density accompanied by a distortion of the lattice structure. The microscopic details of CDW formation are closely tied to the dynamic charge susceptibility, $χ(q,ω)$, which describes the behavior of electronic collective modes. Despite decades of extensive study, the behavior of… ▽ More A charge density wave (CDW) is a phase of matter characterized by a periodic modulation of the valence electron density accompanied by a distortion of the lattice structure. The microscopic details of CDW formation are closely tied to the dynamic charge susceptibility, $χ(q,ω)$, which describes the behavior of electronic collective modes. Despite decades of extensive study, the behavior of $χ(q,ω)$ in the vicinity of a CDW transition has never been measured with high energy resolution ($\sim$meV). Here, we investigate the canonical CDW transition in ErTe$_3$ using momentum-resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy (M-EELS), a technique uniquely sensitive to valence band charge excitations. Unlike phonons in these materials, which undergo conventional softening due to the Kohn anomaly at the CDW wavevector, the electronic excitations display purely relaxational dynamics that are well described by a diffusive model. The diffusivity peaks around 250 K, just below the critical temperature. Additionally, we report, for the first time, a divergence in the real part of $χ(q,ω)$ in the static limit ($ω\rightarrow 0$), a phenomenon predicted to characterize CDWs since the 1970s. These results highlight the importance of energy- and momentum-resolved measurements of electronic susceptibility and demonstrate the power of M-EELS as a versatile probe of charge dynamics in materials. △ Less

Submitted 18 March, 2025; v1 submitted 22 November, 2024; originally announced November 2024.

Altermagnetism: an unconventional spin-ordered phase of matter

Authors: T. Jungwirth, R. M. Fernandes, E. Fradkin, A. H. MacDonald, J. Sinova, L. Smejkal

Abstract: The Pauli exclusion principle combined with interactions between fermions is a basic mechanism across condensed-matter systems giving rise to a spontaneous breaking of the spin-space rotation symmetry of spin-ordered phases. Ferromagnetism is a conventional manifestation of spin ordering which leads to numerous applications, e.g., in spintronic information technologies. Altermagnetism, whose recen… ▽ More The Pauli exclusion principle combined with interactions between fermions is a basic mechanism across condensed-matter systems giving rise to a spontaneous breaking of the spin-space rotation symmetry of spin-ordered phases. Ferromagnetism is a conventional manifestation of spin ordering which leads to numerous applications, e.g., in spintronic information technologies. Altermagnetism, whose recent discovery was largely motivated by spintronics, stands apart from conventional magnetism in the sense that it spontaneously breaks not only spin-space but also real-space rotation symmetries, while it preserves a symmetry combining spin-space and real-space rotations. This is realized on crystals by a collinear compensated ordering of spins with a characteristic d, g or i-wave symmetry. Our Perspective goes beyond the theory of spin arrangements on crystals by connecting altermagnetism to basic notions in condensed matter physics. Specifically, we reflect on the analogies and distinctions of altermagnetism as compared to superfluid 3He and theories of spin ordering in the momentum space generated by other higher-partial-wave instabilities of a Fermi-liquid. On one hand, all these physical systems have in common the extraordinary combination of spontaneous breaking of spin-space and real-space rotation symmetries. On the other hand, we point out that there are key differences, both at the symmetry level and, particularly, at the level of microscopic mechanisms of ordering. These explain the comparatively large abundance, robustness and utility of altermagnetism, as predicted by the symmetry-classification of spin arrangements on crystals and ab initio calculations, and supported by initial experiments. △ Less

Submitted 12 March, 2025; v1 submitted 1 November, 2024; originally announced November 2024.

Comments: 16 pages, 5 figures

Interplay of Quantum and Thermal Fluctuations in Two-Dimensional Randomly Pinned Charge Density Waves

Authors: Matthew C. O'Brien, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The interplay between quantum and thermal fluctuations in the presence of quenched random disorder is a long-standing open theoretical problem which has been made more urgent by advances in modern experimental techniques. The fragility of charge density wave order to impurities makes this problem of particular interest in understanding a host of real materials, including the cuprate high-temperatu… ▽ More The interplay between quantum and thermal fluctuations in the presence of quenched random disorder is a long-standing open theoretical problem which has been made more urgent by advances in modern experimental techniques. The fragility of charge density wave order to impurities makes this problem of particular interest in understanding a host of real materials, including the cuprate high-temperature superconductors. To address this question, we consider the quantum version of an exactly solvable classical model of two-dimensional randomly pinned incommensurate charge density waves first introduced by us in a recent work, and use the large-$N$ technique to obtain the phase diagram and order parameter correlations. Our theory considers quantum and thermal fluctuations and disorder on equal footing by accounting for all effects non-perturbatively, which reveals a novel crossover between under-damped and over-damped dynamics of the fluctuations of the charge density wave order parameter. △ Less

Submitted 27 January, 2025; v1 submitted 21 October, 2024; originally announced October 2024.

Comments: 49 pages, 7 figures

Journal ref: J. Stat. Mech. (2025) 013105

Absence of a bulk charge density wave signature in x-ray measurements of UTe$_2$

Authors: Caitlin S. Kengle, Dipanjan Chaudhuri, Xuefei Guo, Thomas A. Johnson, Simon Bettler, Wolfgang Simeth, Matthew J. Krogstad, Zahir Islam, Sheng Ran, Shanta R. Saha, Johnpierre Paglione, Nicholas P. Butch, Eduardo Fradkin, Vidya Madhavan, Peter Abbamonte

Abstract: The long-sought pair density wave (PDW) is an exotic phase of matter in which charge density wave (CDW) order is intertwined with the amplitude or phase of coexisting, superconducting order \cite{Berg2009,Berg2009b}. Originally predicted to exist in copper-oxides, circumstantial evidence for PDW order now exists in a variety of materials. Recently, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies have… ▽ More The long-sought pair density wave (PDW) is an exotic phase of matter in which charge density wave (CDW) order is intertwined with the amplitude or phase of coexisting, superconducting order \cite{Berg2009,Berg2009b}. Originally predicted to exist in copper-oxides, circumstantial evidence for PDW order now exists in a variety of materials. Recently, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies have reported evidence for a three-component charge density wave (CDW) at the surface of the heavy-fermion superconductor, UTe$_2$, persisting below its superconducting transition temperature. Here, we use hard x-ray diffraction measurements on crystals of UTe$_2$ at $T = 1.9$ K and $12$ K to search for a bulk signature of this CDW. Using STM measurements as a constraint, we calculate the expected locations of CDW superlattice peaks, and sweep a large volume of reciprocal space in search of a signature. We failed to find any evidence for a CDW near any of the expected superlattice positions in many Brillouin zones. We estimate an upper bound on the CDW lattice distortion of $u_{max} \lesssim 4 \times 10^{-3} \mathrmÅ$. Our results suggest that the CDW observed in STM is either purely electronic, somehow lacking a signature in the structural lattice, or is restricted to the material surface. △ Less

Submitted 14 October, 2024; v1 submitted 20 June, 2024; originally announced June 2024.

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 110, 145101 (2024)

Electronic structure of topological defects in the pair density wave superconductor

Authors: Marcus Rosales, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Pair density waves (PDWs) are a inhomogeneous superconducting states whose Cooper pairs possess a finite momentum resulting in a oscillatory gap in space, even in the absence of an external magnetic field. There is growing evidence for the existence of PDW superconducting order in many strongly correlated materials, particularly in the cuprate superconductors and in several other different types o… ▽ More Pair density waves (PDWs) are a inhomogeneous superconducting states whose Cooper pairs possess a finite momentum resulting in a oscillatory gap in space, even in the absence of an external magnetic field. There is growing evidence for the existence of PDW superconducting order in many strongly correlated materials, particularly in the cuprate superconductors and in several other different types of systems. A feature of the PDW state is that inherently it has a CDW as a composite order associated with it. Here we study the structure of the electronic topological defects of the PDW, paying special attention to the half-vortex and its electronic structure that can be detected in STM experiments. We discuss tell-tale signatures of the defects in violations of inversion symmetry, in the excitation spectrum and their spectral functions in the presence of topological defects. We discuss the ``Fermi surface'' topology of Bogoliubov quasiparticle of the PDW phases, and we briefly discuss the role of quasiparticle interference. △ Less

Submitted 14 December, 2024; v1 submitted 5 June, 2024; originally announced June 2024.

Comments: A few editorial edits were updated as well as some acknowledgments. A couple minus signs were also missing in equation 3.13 and 3.14. Finally, the orthogonal matrix after equation B.5 needed to be updated. A few references were also updated or removed

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 110, 214508, Published 11 December, 2024

Microscopic Model for Fractional Quantum Hall Nematics

Authors: Songyang Pu, Ajit C. Balram, Joseph Taylor, Eduardo Fradkin, Zlatko Papić

Abstract: Geometric fluctuations of the density mode in a fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state can give rise to a nematic FQH phase, a topological state with a spontaneously broken rotational symmetry. While experiments on FQH states in the second Landau level have reported signatures of putative FQH nematics in anisotropic transport, a realistic model for this state has been lacking. We show that the standa… ▽ More Geometric fluctuations of the density mode in a fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state can give rise to a nematic FQH phase, a topological state with a spontaneously broken rotational symmetry. While experiments on FQH states in the second Landau level have reported signatures of putative FQH nematics in anisotropic transport, a realistic model for this state has been lacking. We show that the standard model of particles in the lowest Landau level interacting via the Coulomb potential realizes the FQH nematic transition, which is reached by a progressive reduction of the strength of the shortest-range Haldane pseudopotential. Using exact diagonalization and variational wave functions, we demonstrate that the FQH nematic transition occurs when the system's neutral gap closes in the long-wavelength limit while the charge gap remains open. We confirm the symmetry-breaking nature of the transition by demonstrating the existence of a "circular moat" potential in the manifold of states with broken rotational symmetry, while its geometric character is revealed through the strong fluctuations of the nematic susceptibility and Hall viscosity. △ Less

Submitted 9 June, 2024; v1 submitted 30 January, 2024; originally announced January 2024.

Comments: Four figures in main text with supplementary information

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 236503 (2024)

A Ginzburg-Landau approach to the vortex-domain wall interaction in superconductors with nematic order

Authors: Ramiro Severino, Pablo Mininni, Eduardo Fradkin, Victoria Bekeris, Gabriela Pasquini, Gustavo Lozano

Abstract: In this work we study the interaction between vortices and nematic domain walls within the framework of a Ginzburg Landau approach. The free energy of the system is written in terms of a complex order parameter characteristic of $s$-wave superconductivity and a real (Ising type) order parameter associated to nematicity. The interaction between both order parameters is described by a biquadratic an… ▽ More In this work we study the interaction between vortices and nematic domain walls within the framework of a Ginzburg Landau approach. The free energy of the system is written in terms of a complex order parameter characteristic of $s$-wave superconductivity and a real (Ising type) order parameter associated to nematicity. The interaction between both order parameters is described by a biquadratic and a trilinear derivative term. To study the effects of these interactions we solve the time-dependent dissipative Ginzburg Landau equations using a highly performant pseudospectral method by which we calculate the trajectories of a vortex that, for different coupling parameters, is either attracted or repelled by a wall, as well as of the wall dynamics. We show that despite its simplicity, this theory displays many phenomena observed experimentally in Fe-based superconductors. In particular we find that the sign of the biquadratic term determines the attractive (pining) or repulsive (antipining) character of the interaction, as observed in FeSe and BaFeCoAs compounds respectively. The trilinear term is responsible for the elliptical shape of vortex cores as well as for the orientation of the axes of the ellipses and vortex trajectories with respect to the axes of the structural lattice. For the case of pining, we show that the vortex core is well described by a heart-shaped structure in agreement with STM experiments performed in FeSe. △ Less

Submitted 12 January, 2024; originally announced January 2024.

Signatures of Parafermion Zero Modes in Fractional Quantum Hall-Superconductor Heterostructures

Authors: Junyi Cao, Angela Kou, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Parafermion zero modes can arise in hybrid structures composed of $ν=1/m$ fractional quantum Hall edges proximitized with an s-wave superconductor. Here we consider parafermion and Cooper pair tunneling, and backscattering in a junction formed in such hybrid structures. We find that the $4πm$ periodicity due to parafermion-only tunneling reduces, in the presence of backscattering, to $4π$-periodic… ▽ More Parafermion zero modes can arise in hybrid structures composed of $ν=1/m$ fractional quantum Hall edges proximitized with an s-wave superconductor. Here we consider parafermion and Cooper pair tunneling, and backscattering in a junction formed in such hybrid structures. We find that the $4πm$ periodicity due to parafermion-only tunneling reduces, in the presence of backscattering, to $4π$-periodic at zero temperature and $2π$-periodic at finite temperature unless the fermion parity is fixed. Nevertheless, a clear signature of parafermion tunneling remains in the shape of the current-phase relation. △ Less

Submitted 27 March, 2024; v1 submitted 25 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Comments: v1: 6 pages, 4 figures; v2: 8 pages, 5 figures, appendix added

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 109, L161106 (2024)

An Exactly Solvable Model of Randomly Pinned Charge Density Waves in Two Dimensions

Authors: Matthew C. O'Brien, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The nature of the interplay between fluctuations and quenched random disorder is a long-standing open problem, particularly in systems with a continuous order parameter. This lack of a full theoretical treatment has been underscored by recent advances in experiments on charge density wave materials. To address this problem, we formulate an exactly solvable model of a two-dimensional randomly pinne… ▽ More The nature of the interplay between fluctuations and quenched random disorder is a long-standing open problem, particularly in systems with a continuous order parameter. This lack of a full theoretical treatment has been underscored by recent advances in experiments on charge density wave materials. To address this problem, we formulate an exactly solvable model of a two-dimensional randomly pinned incommensurate charge density wave, and use the large-$N$ technique to map out the phase diagram and order parameter correlations. Our approach captures the physics of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition in the clean limit at large $N$. We pay particular attention to the roles of thermal fluctuations and quenched random field disorder in destroying long-range order, finding a novel crossover between weakly- and strongly-disordered regimes. △ Less

Submitted 18 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Comments: 40 pages, 4 figures

Journal ref: J. Stat. Mech. (2024) 013104

Atomic-Scale Visualization of a Cascade of Magnetic Orders in the Layered Antiferromagnet $GdTe_{3}$

Authors: Arjun Raghavan, Marisa Romanelli, Julian May-Mann, Anuva Aishwarya, Leena Aggarwal, Anisha G. Singh, Maja D. Bachmann, Leslie M. Schoop, Eduardo Fradkin, Ian R. Fisher, Vidya Madhavan

Abstract: $GdTe_{3}… ▽ More $GdTe_{3}$ is a layered antiferromagnet which has attracted attention due to its exceptionally high mobility, distinctive unidirectional incommensurate charge density wave (CDW), superconductivity under pressure, and a cascade of magnetic transitions between 7 and 12 K, with as yet unknown order parameters. Here, we use spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy to directly image the charge and magnetic orders in $GdTe_{3}$. Below 7 K, we find a striped antiferromagnetic phase with twice the periodicity of the Gd lattice and perpendicular to the CDW. As we heat the sample, we discover a spin density wave with the same periodicity as the CDW between 7 and 12 K; the viability of this phase is supported by our Landau free energy model. Our work reveals the order parameters of the magnetic phases in $GdTe_{3}$ and shows how the interplay between charge and spin can generate a cascade of magnetic orders. △ Less

Submitted 4 May, 2024; v1 submitted 29 August, 2023; originally announced August 2023.

Comments: 46 pgs.; 4 main figures, 20 supplementary figures

Journal ref: npj Quantum Mater. 9, 47 (2024)

Visualizing the melting of the charge density wave in UTe2 by generation of pairs of topological defects with opposite winding

Authors: Anuva Aishwarya, Julian May-Mann, Avior Almoalem, Sheng Ran, Shanta R. Saha, Johnpierre Paglione, Nicholas P. Butch, Eduardo Fradkin, Vidya Madhavan

Abstract: Topological defects are singularities in an ordered phase that can have a profound effect on phase transitions and serve as a window into the order parameter. In this work we use scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize the role of topological defects in the novel magnetic field induced disappearance of an intertwined charge density wave (CDW) in the heavy fermion superconductor, UTe2. By simult… ▽ More Topological defects are singularities in an ordered phase that can have a profound effect on phase transitions and serve as a window into the order parameter. In this work we use scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize the role of topological defects in the novel magnetic field induced disappearance of an intertwined charge density wave (CDW) in the heavy fermion superconductor, UTe2. By simultaneously imaging the amplitude and phase of the CDW order, we reveal pairs of topological defects with positive and negative phase winding. The pairs are directly correlated with a zero CDW amplitude and increase in number with increasing magnetic field. These observations can be captured by a Ginzburg Landau model of a uniform superconductor coexisting with a pair density wave. A magnetic field generates vortices of the superconducting and pair density wave order which can create topological defects in the CDW and induce the experimentally observed melting of the CDW at the upper critical field. Our work reveals the important role of magnetic field generated topological defects in the melting the CDW order parameter in UTe2 and provides support for the existence of a parent pair density wave order on the surface of UTe2. △ Less

Submitted 23 October, 2023; v1 submitted 15 June, 2023; originally announced June 2023.

Comments: 29 Pages, includes manuscript and supplemental information, 4 Main figures and 8 Supplemental Figures

Field Theoretic Aspects of Condensed Matter Physics: An Overview

Authors: Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: In this chapter I discuss the impact of concepts of Quantum Field Theory in modern Condensed Physics. Although the interplay between these two areas is certainly not new, the impact and mutual cross-fertilization has certainly grown enormously with time, and Quantum Field Theory has become a central conceptual tool in Condensed Matter Physics. In this chapter I cover how these ideas and tools have… ▽ More In this chapter I discuss the impact of concepts of Quantum Field Theory in modern Condensed Physics. Although the interplay between these two areas is certainly not new, the impact and mutual cross-fertilization has certainly grown enormously with time, and Quantum Field Theory has become a central conceptual tool in Condensed Matter Physics. In this chapter I cover how these ideas and tools have influenced our understanding of phase transitions, both classical and quantum, as well as topological phases of matter, and dualities. △ Less

Submitted 28 March, 2023; v1 submitted 30 January, 2023; originally announced January 2023.

Comments: Revised version to appear as a chapter in the Encyclopedia of Condensed Matter Physics 2e. 126 pages, including 380 references

Journal ref: Encyclopedia of Condensed Matter Physics (Second Edition) Volume 1, 2024, Pages 27-131 (2024)

Magnetic-field sensitive charge density wave orders in the superconducting phase of UTe2

Authors: Anuva Aishwarya, Julian May-Mann, Arjun Raghavan, Laimei Nie, Marisa Romanelli, Sheng Ran, Shanta R. Saha, Johnpierre Paglione, Nicholas P. Butch, Eduardo Fradkin, Vidya Madhavan

Abstract: The intense interest in triplet superconductivity partly stems from theoretical predictions of exotic excitations such as non-abelian Majorana modes, chiral supercurrents, and half-quantum vortices. However, fundamentally new, and unexpected states may emerge when triplet superconductivity appears in a strongly correlated system. In this work we use scanning tunneling microscopy to reveal an unusu… ▽ More The intense interest in triplet superconductivity partly stems from theoretical predictions of exotic excitations such as non-abelian Majorana modes, chiral supercurrents, and half-quantum vortices. However, fundamentally new, and unexpected states may emerge when triplet superconductivity appears in a strongly correlated system. In this work we use scanning tunneling microscopy to reveal an unusual charge density wave (CDW) order in the heavy fermion triplet superconductor, UTe2. Our high-resolution maps reveal a multi-component incommensurate CDW whose intensity get weaker with increasing field, eventually disappearing at the superconducting critical field, Hc2. To explain the origin and phenomenology of this unusual CDW, we construct a Ginzburg-Landau theory for a uniform triplet superconductor coexisting with three triplet pair density wave (PDW) states. This theory gives rise to daughter CDWs which would be sensitive to magnetic field due to their origin in a triplet PDW state, and naturally explains our data. Our discovery of a CDW sensitive to magnetic fields and strongly intertwined with superconductivity, provides important new information for understanding the order parameter of UTe2 and uncovers the possible existence of a new kind of triplet PDW order which has not been previously explored. △ Less

Submitted 3 November, 2022; v1 submitted 19 July, 2022; originally announced July 2022.

Comments: 12 pages, 4 figures, Supplementary information

Report number: Nature, 618, 928--933 (2023)

Theory of oblique topological insulators

Authors: Benjamin Moy, Hart Goldman, Ramanjit Sohal, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: A long-standing problem in the study of topological phases of matter has been to understand the types of fractional topological insulator (FTI) phases possible in 3+1 dimensions. Unlike ordinary topological insulators of free fermions, FTI phases are characterized by fractional $Θ$-angles, long-range entanglement, and fractionalization. Starting from a simple family of $\mathbb{Z}_N$ lattice gauge… ▽ More A long-standing problem in the study of topological phases of matter has been to understand the types of fractional topological insulator (FTI) phases possible in 3+1 dimensions. Unlike ordinary topological insulators of free fermions, FTI phases are characterized by fractional $Θ$-angles, long-range entanglement, and fractionalization. Starting from a simple family of $\mathbb{Z}_N$ lattice gauge theories due to Cardy and Rabinovici, we develop a class of FTI phases based on the physical mechanism of oblique confinement and the modern language of generalized global symmetries. We dub these phases oblique topological insulators. Oblique TIs arise when dyons -- bound states of electric charges and monopoles -- condense, leading to FTI phases characterized by topological order, emergent one-form symmetries, and gapped boundary states not realizable in 2+1-D alone. Based on the lattice gauge theory, we present continuum topological quantum field theories (TQFTs) for oblique TI phases involving fluctuating one-form and two-form gauge fields. We show explicitly that these TQFTs capture both the generalized global symmetries and topological orders seen in the lattice gauge theory. We also demonstrate that these theories exhibit a universal "generalized magnetoelectric effect" in the presence of two-form background gauge fields. Moreover, we characterize the possible boundary topological orders of oblique TIs, finding a new set of boundary states not studied previously for these kinds of TQFTs. △ Less

Submitted 8 December, 2022; v1 submitted 15 June, 2022; originally announced June 2022.

Comments: 67 pages, 4 figures, 5 appendices. v2: new appendix, added references, and minor changes. v3: light revisions, additional discussion in Section 6 and Appendix E, and updated acknowledgements and references

Journal ref: SciPost Phys. 14, 023 (2023)

Vortices in a Ginzburg Landau Theory of Superconductors with Nematic Order

Authors: Ramiro Sebastián Severino, Pablo Daniel Mininni, Eduardo Fradkin, Victoria Bekeris, Gabriela Pasquini, Gustavo Sergio Lozano

Abstract: In this work we explore the interplay between superconductivity and nematicity in the framework of a Ginzburg Landau theory with a nematic order parameter coupled to the superconductor order parameter, often used in the description of superconductivity of Fe based materials. In particular, we focus on the study of the vortex-vortex interaction in order to determine the way nematicity affects its a… ▽ More In this work we explore the interplay between superconductivity and nematicity in the framework of a Ginzburg Landau theory with a nematic order parameter coupled to the superconductor order parameter, often used in the description of superconductivity of Fe based materials. In particular, we focus on the study of the vortex-vortex interaction in order to determine the way nematicity affects its attractive or repulsive character. To do so, we use a dynamical method based on the solutions of the Time Dependent Ginzburg Landau equations in a bulk superconductor. An important contribution of our work is the implementation of a pseudo-spectral method to solve the dynamics, known to be highly efficient and of very high order in comparison to the usual finite differences/elements methods. The coupling between the superconductor and the (real) nematic order parameters is represented by two terms in the free energy: a biquadratic term and a coupling of the nematic order parameter to the covariant derivatives of the superconductor order parameter. Our results show that there is a competing effect: while the former independently of its competitive or cooperative character generates an attractive vortex-vortex interaction, the latter always generates a repulsive interaction. △ Less

Submitted 25 April, 2022; v1 submitted 14 April, 2022; originally announced April 2022.

Comments: 37 pages; 12 figures; corrected typos; added references

Generic character of charge and spin density waves in superconducting cuprates

Authors: Sangjun Lee, Edwin W. Huang, Thomas A. Johnson, Xuefei Guo, Ali A. Husain, Matteo Mitrano, Kennan Lu, Alexander V. Zakrzewski, Gilberto de la &ntilde, Yingying Peng, Sang-Jun Lee, Hoyoung Jang, Jun-Sik Lee, Young Il Joe, William B. Dorisese, Paul Szypryt, Daniel S. Swetz, Adam A. Aczel, Gregory J. Macdougall, Steven A. Kivelson, Eduardo Fradkin, Peter Abbamonte

Abstract: Understanding the nature of charge density waves (CDW) in cuprate superconductors has been complicated by material specific differences. A striking example is the opposite doping dependence of the CDW ordering wavevector in La-based and Y-based compounds, the two families where charge ordering is strongest and best characterized. Here we report a combined resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSXS) and… ▽ More Understanding the nature of charge density waves (CDW) in cuprate superconductors has been complicated by material specific differences. A striking example is the opposite doping dependence of the CDW ordering wavevector in La-based and Y-based compounds, the two families where charge ordering is strongest and best characterized. Here we report a combined resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSXS) and neutron scattering study of charge and spin density waves in isotopically enriched La$_{1.8-x}$ Eu$_{0.2}$ Sr$_{x}$ CuO$_{4}$ over a range of doping $0.07 \leq x \leq 0.20$. For all dopings studied by RSXS, we find that the CDW amplitude is approximately temperature-independent and develops well above experimentally accessible temperatures. Surprisingly, the CDW ordering wavevector shows a non-monotonic temperature dependence, with a sudden change occurring at temperatures near the SDW onset temperature. We describe this behavior with a Landau-Ginzburg theory for an incommensurate CDW in a metallic system with a finite charge compressibility and CDW-SDW coupling. Our Landau-Ginzburg analysis suggests that the ordering wavevector at high temperatures decreases with increased doping. This behavior is opposite to the trend at low temperatures and highly reminiscent of the doping dependence seen in YBa$_2$ Cu$_3$ O$_{6+δ}$ , suggesting a common origin of the CDW in hole-doped cuprate superconductors. △ Less

Submitted 26 October, 2021; originally announced October 2021.

Comments: Manuscript submitted to PNAS; ArXiv version formatted in Revtex4-2; Supplementary Material included as appendices; 20 pages, 14 figures (6 in the main text), and 41 references

Thermalization of Randomly Coupled SYK Models

Authors: Ramanjit Sohal, Laimei Nie, Xiao-Qi Sun, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We investigate the thermalization of Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) models coupled via random interactions following quenches from the perspective of entanglement. Previous studies have shown that when a system of two SYK models coupled by random two-body terms is quenched from the thermofield double state with sufficiently low effective temperature, the Rényi entropies do not saturate to the expected th… ▽ More We investigate the thermalization of Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) models coupled via random interactions following quenches from the perspective of entanglement. Previous studies have shown that when a system of two SYK models coupled by random two-body terms is quenched from the thermofield double state with sufficiently low effective temperature, the Rényi entropies do not saturate to the expected thermal values in the large-$N$ limit. Using numerical large-$N$ methods, we first show that the Rényi entropies in a pair SYK models coupled by two-body terms can thermalize, if quenched from a state with sufficiently high effective temperature, and hence exhibit state-dependent thermalization. In contrast, SYK models coupled by single-body terms appear to always thermalize. We provide evidence that the subthermal behavior in the former system is likely a large-$N$ artifact by repeating the quench for finite $N$ and finding that the saturation value of the Rényi entropy extrapolates to the expected thermal value in the $N \to \infty$ limit. Finally, as a finer grained measure of thermalization, we compute the late-time spectral form factor of the reduced density matrix after the quench. While a single SYK dot exhibits perfect agreement with random matrix theory, both the quadratically and quartically coupled SYK models exhibit slight deviations. △ Less

Submitted 15 December, 2021; v1 submitted 30 September, 2021; originally announced October 2021.

Comments: v1: 41 pages single column, 14 figures; v2: Additional references; v3: Minor revisions

Journal ref: J. Stat. Mech. (2022) 013103

Multiple charge density waves and superconductivity nucleation at antiphase domain walls in the nematic pnictide Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$Ni$_{2}$As$_{2}$

Authors: Sangjun Lee, John Collini, Stella X. -L. Sun, Matteo Mitrano, Xuefei Guo, Chris Eckberg, Johnpierre Paglione, Eduardo Fradkin, Peter Abbamonte

Abstract: How superconductivity interacts with charge or nematic order is one of the great unresolved issues at the center of research in quantum materials. Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$Ni$_{2}$As$_{2}$ (BSNA) is a charge ordered pnictide superconductor recently shown to exhibit a six-fold enhancement of superconductivity due to nematic fluctuations near a quantum phase transition (at $x_c=0.7$). The superconductivity… ▽ More How superconductivity interacts with charge or nematic order is one of the great unresolved issues at the center of research in quantum materials. Ba$_{1-x}$Sr$_{x}$Ni$_{2}$As$_{2}$ (BSNA) is a charge ordered pnictide superconductor recently shown to exhibit a six-fold enhancement of superconductivity due to nematic fluctuations near a quantum phase transition (at $x_c=0.7$). The superconductivity is, however, anomalous, with the resistive transition for $0.4 < x< x_c$ occurring at a higher temperature than the specific heat anomaly. Using x-ray scattering, we discovered a new charge density wave (CDW) in BSNA in this composition range. The CDW is commensurate with a period of two lattice parameters, and is distinct from the two CDWs previously reported in this material. We argue that the anomalous transport behavior arises from heterogeneous superconductivity nucleating at antiphase domain walls in this CDW. We also present new data on the incommensurate CDW, previously identified as being unidirectional, showing that is a rotationally symmetric, "4$Q$" state with $C_4$ symmetry. Our study establishes BSNA as a rare material containing three distinct CDWs, and an exciting testbed for studying coupling between CDW, nematic, and SC orders. △ Less

Submitted 13 February, 2021; v1 submitted 6 February, 2021; originally announced February 2021.

Comments: 5 pages, 5 figures + supplemental material document

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 127, 027602 (2021)

A composite particle construction of the Fibonacci fractional quantum Hall state

Authors: Hart Goldman, Ramanjit Sohal, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The Fibonacci topological order is the simplest platform for a universal topological quantum computer, consisting of a single type of non-Abelian anyon, $τ$, with fusion rule $τ\timesτ=1+τ$. While it has been proposed that the anyon spectrum of the $ν=12/5$ fractional quantum Hall state includes a Fibonacci sector, a dynamical picture of how a pure Fibonacci state may emerge in a quantum Hall syst… ▽ More The Fibonacci topological order is the simplest platform for a universal topological quantum computer, consisting of a single type of non-Abelian anyon, $τ$, with fusion rule $τ\timesτ=1+τ$. While it has been proposed that the anyon spectrum of the $ν=12/5$ fractional quantum Hall state includes a Fibonacci sector, a dynamical picture of how a pure Fibonacci state may emerge in a quantum Hall system has been lacking. Here we use recently proposed non-Abelian dualities to construct a Fibonacci state of bosons at filling $ν=2$ starting from a trilayer of integer quantum Hall states. Our parent theory consists of bosonic "composite vortices" coupled to fluctuating $U(2)$ gauge fields, which is related to the standard theory of Laughlin quasiparticles by duality. The Fibonacci state is obtained by clustering the composite vortices between the layers, along with flux attachment, a procedure reminiscent of the clustering picture of the Read-Rezayi states. We further use this framework to motivate a wave function for the Fibonacci fractional quantum Hall state. △ Less

Submitted 21 December, 2020; originally announced December 2020.

Comments: 12 pages, 3 figures, and 5 appendices

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 103, 235118 (2021)

Non-Abelian Fermionization and the Landscape of Quantum Hall Phases

Authors: Hart Goldman, Ramanjit Sohal, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The recent proposal of non-Abelian boson-fermion dualities in 2+1 dimensions, which morally relate $U(k)_N$ to $SU(N)_{-k}$ Chern-Simons-matter theories, presents a new platform for exploring the landscape of non-Abelian quantum Hall states accessible from theories of Abelian composite particles. Here we focus on dualities relating theories of Abelian quantum Hall states of bosons or fermions to t… ▽ More The recent proposal of non-Abelian boson-fermion dualities in 2+1 dimensions, which morally relate $U(k)_N$ to $SU(N)_{-k}$ Chern-Simons-matter theories, presents a new platform for exploring the landscape of non-Abelian quantum Hall states accessible from theories of Abelian composite particles. Here we focus on dualities relating theories of Abelian quantum Hall states of bosons or fermions to theories of non-Abelian "composite fermions" partially filling Landau levels. We show that these dualities predict special filling fractions where both Abelian and non-Abelian composite fermion theories appear capable of hosting distinct topologically ordered ground states, one Abelian and the other a non-Abelian, $U(k)_2$ Blok-Wen state. Rather than being in conflict with the duality, we argue that these results indicate unexpected dynamics in which the infrared and lowest Landau level limits fail to commute across the duality. In such a scenario, the non-Abelian topological order can be destabilized in favor of the Abelian ground state, suggesting the presence of a phase transition between the Abelian and non-Abelian states that is likely to be first order. We also generalize these constructions to other non-Abelian fermion-fermion dualities, in the process obtaining new derivations of a variety of paired composite fermion phases using duality, including the anti-Pfaffian state. Finally, we describe how, in multilayer constructions, excitonic pairing of the composite fermions across $N$ layers can also generate the family of Blok-Wen states with $U(k)_2$ topological order. △ Less

Submitted 1 December, 2020; v1 submitted 31 August, 2020; originally announced September 2020.

Comments: 34 pages, including two appendices, one figure, and three tables. New version contains light revisions, as well as some additional results and discussion in Section 3.6

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 102, 195151 (2020)

Intertwined Order in Fractional Chern Insulators from Finite-Momentum Pairing of Composite Fermions

Authors: Ramanjit Sohal, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We investigate the problem of intertwined orders in fractional Chern insulators by considering lattice fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states arising from pairing of composite fermions in the square-lattice Hofstadter model. At certain filling fractions, magnetic translation symmetry ensures the composite fermions form Fermi surfaces with multiple pockets, leading to the formation of finite-momentum… ▽ More We investigate the problem of intertwined orders in fractional Chern insulators by considering lattice fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states arising from pairing of composite fermions in the square-lattice Hofstadter model. At certain filling fractions, magnetic translation symmetry ensures the composite fermions form Fermi surfaces with multiple pockets, leading to the formation of finite-momentum Cooper pairs in the presence of attractive interactions. We obtain mean-field phase diagrams exhibiting a rich array of striped and topological phases, establishing paired lattice FQH states as an ideal platform to investigate the intertwining of topological and conventional broken symmetry order. △ Less

Submitted 23 June, 2020; v1 submitted 9 March, 2020; originally announced March 2020.

Comments: 15 pages, 11 figures. v2: Updated references and acknowledgments. v3: Published version

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 101, 245154 (2020)

Topology and the one-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model

Authors: Julian May-Mann, Ryan Levy, Rodrigo Soto-Garrido, Gil Young Cho, Bryan K. Clark, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The Kondo-Heinsberg chain is an interesting model of a strongly correlated system which has a broad superconducting state with pair-density wave (PDW) order. Some of us have recently proposed that this PDW state is a symmetry-protected topological (SPT) state, and the gapped spin sector of the model supports Majorana zero modes. In this work, we reexamine this problem using a combination of numeri… ▽ More The Kondo-Heinsberg chain is an interesting model of a strongly correlated system which has a broad superconducting state with pair-density wave (PDW) order. Some of us have recently proposed that this PDW state is a symmetry-protected topological (SPT) state, and the gapped spin sector of the model supports Majorana zero modes. In this work, we reexamine this problem using a combination of numeric and analytic methods. In extensive density matrix renormalization group calculations, we find no evidence of a topological ground state degeneracy or the previously proposed Majorana zero modes in the PDW phase of this model. This result motivated us to reexamine the original arguments for the existence of the Majorana zero modes. A careful analysis of the effective continuum field theory of the model shows that the Hilbert space of the spin sector of the theory does not contain any single Majorana fermion excitations. This analysis shows that the PDW state of the doped 1D Kondo-Heisenberg model is not an SPT with Majorana zero modes. △ Less

Submitted 4 February, 2020; originally announced February 2020.

Comments: 13 pages, 8 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 101, 165133 (2020)

Landau-Ginzburg Theories of Non-Abelian Quantum Hall States from Non-Abelian Bosonization

Authors: Hart Goldman, Ramanjit Sohal, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: It is an important open problem to understand the landscape of non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall phases which can be obtained starting from physically motivated theories of Abelian composite particles. We show that progress on this problem can be made using recently proposed non-Abelian bosonization dualities in 2+1 dimensions, which morally relate $U(N)_k$ and $SU(k)_{-N}$ Chern-Simons-matter t… ▽ More It is an important open problem to understand the landscape of non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall phases which can be obtained starting from physically motivated theories of Abelian composite particles. We show that progress on this problem can be made using recently proposed non-Abelian bosonization dualities in 2+1 dimensions, which morally relate $U(N)_k$ and $SU(k)_{-N}$ Chern-Simons-matter theories. The advantage of these dualities is that regions of the phase diagram which may be obscure on one side of the duality can be accessed by condensing local operators on the other side. Starting from parent Abelian states, we use this approach to construct Landau-Ginzburg theories of non-Abelian states through a pairing mechanism. In particular, we obtain the bosonic Read-Rezayi sequence at fillings $ν=k/(kM+2)$ by starting from $k$ layers of bosons at $ν=1/2$ with $M$ Abelian fluxes attached. The Read-Rezayi states arise when $k$-clusters of the dual non-Abelian bosons condense. We extend this construction by showing that $N_f$-component generalizations of the Halperin $(2,2,1)$ bosonic states have dual descriptions in terms of $SU(N_f+1)_1$ Chern-Simons-matter theories, revealing an emergent global symmetry in the process. Clustering $k$ layers of these theories yields a non-Abelian $SU(N_f)$-singlet state at filling $ν= kN_f / (N_f + 1 + kMN_f)$. △ Less

Submitted 3 September, 2019; v1 submitted 3 June, 2019; originally announced June 2019.

Comments: 34 pages, 1 figure. Minor typos corrected

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 100, 115111 (2019)

The Physics of Pair Density Waves

Authors: Daniel F. Agterberg, J. C. Séamus Davis, Stephen D. Edkins, Eduardo Fradkin, Dale J. Van Harlingen, Steven A. Kivelson, Patrick A. Lee, Leo Radzihovsky, John M. Tranquada, Yuxuan Wang

Abstract: We review the physics of pair density wave (PDW) superconductors. We begin with a macroscopic description that emphasizes order induced by PDW states, such as charge density wave, and discuss related vestigial states that emerge as a consequence of partial meting of the PDW order. We review and critically discuss the mounting experimental evidence for such PDW order in the cuprate superconductors,… ▽ More We review the physics of pair density wave (PDW) superconductors. We begin with a macroscopic description that emphasizes order induced by PDW states, such as charge density wave, and discuss related vestigial states that emerge as a consequence of partial meting of the PDW order. We review and critically discuss the mounting experimental evidence for such PDW order in the cuprate superconductors, the status of the theoretical microscopic description of such order, and the current debate on whether the PDW is a "mother order" or another competing order in the cuprates. In addition, we give an overview of the weak coupling version of PDW order, Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov states, in the context of cold atom systems, unconventional superconductors, and non-centrosymmetric and Weyl materials. △ Less

Submitted 30 November, 2019; v1 submitted 21 April, 2019; originally announced April 2019.

Comments: 43 pages, 16 figures, 236 references. Mildly edited final version to appear in Annual Reviews of Condensed Matter Physics (with improved figures)

Journal ref: Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics 11, 231 (2020)

Nematicity in the superconducting mixed state of strain detwinned underdoped $\text{Ba}(\text{Fe}_{1-x}\text{Co}_x)_2\text{As}_2$

Authors: J. Schmidt, V. Bekeris, G. S. Lozano, M. V. Bortulé, M. Marziali Bermúdez, C. W. Hicks, P. C. Canfield, E. Fradkin, G. Pasquini

Abstract: Evidence of nematic effects in the mixed superconducting phase of slightly underdoped $\text{Ba}(\text{Fe}_{1-x}\text{Co}_x)_2\text{As}_2$ is reported. We have found strong in-plane resistivity anisotropy for crystals in different strain conditions. For these compositions, there is no magnetic long range order, so the description may be ascribed to the interplay between the superconducting and nem… ▽ More Evidence of nematic effects in the mixed superconducting phase of slightly underdoped $\text{Ba}(\text{Fe}_{1-x}\text{Co}_x)_2\text{As}_2$ is reported. We have found strong in-plane resistivity anisotropy for crystals in different strain conditions. For these compositions, there is no magnetic long range order, so the description may be ascribed to the interplay between the superconducting and nematic order parameters. A piezoelectric-based apparatus is used to apply tensile or compressive strain to tune nematic domain orientation in order to examine intrinsic nematicity. Measurements are done under a rotating magnetic field and the analysis of the angular dependence of physical quantities identifies the cases in which the sample is {\em detwinned}. Furthermore, the angular dependence of the data allows us to evaluate the effects of nematicity on the in-plane superconductor stiffness. Our results show that although nematicity contributes in a decisive way in the conduction properties, its contributions to the anisotropy properties of the stiffness of the superconducting order parameter is not as significant in these samples. △ Less

Submitted 28 February, 2019; v1 submitted 8 January, 2019; originally announced January 2019.

Comments: 9 pages, 9 figures. Published in Phys. Rev. B on 28 February 2019

MSC Class: 82-05

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 99, 064515 (2019)

Pair-Density-Wave Order and Paired Fractional Quantum Hall Fluids

Authors: Luiz H. Santos, Yuxuan Wang, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: The properties of the isotropic incompressible $ν=5/2$ fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state are described by a paired state of composite fermions in zero (effective) magnetic field, with a uniform $p_x+ip_y$ pairing order parameter, which is a non-Abelian topological phase with chiral Majorana and charge modes at the boundary. Recent experiments suggest the existence of a proximate nematic phase at… ▽ More The properties of the isotropic incompressible $ν=5/2$ fractional quantum Hall (FQH) state are described by a paired state of composite fermions in zero (effective) magnetic field, with a uniform $p_x+ip_y$ pairing order parameter, which is a non-Abelian topological phase with chiral Majorana and charge modes at the boundary. Recent experiments suggest the existence of a proximate nematic phase at $ν=5/2$. This finding motivates us to consider an inhomogeneous paired state - a $p_x+ip_y$ pair-density-wave (PDW) - whose melting could be the origin of the observed liquid-crystalline phases. This state can viewed as an array of domain and anti-domain walls of the $p_x+i p_y$ order parameter. We show that the nodes of the PDW order parameter, the location of the domain walls (and anti-domain walls) where the order parameter changes sign, support a pair of symmetry-protected counter-propagating Majorana modes. The coupling behavior of the domain wall Majorana modes crucially depends on the interplay of the Fermi energy $E_{F}$ and the PDW pairing energy $E_{\textrm{pdw}}$. The analysis of this interplay yields a rich set of topological states. The pair-density-wave order state in paired FQH system provides a fertile setting to study Abelian and non-Abelian FQH phases - as well as transitions thereof - tuned by the strength of the paired liquid crystalline order. △ Less

Submitted 18 June, 2019; v1 submitted 21 November, 2018; originally announced November 2018.

Comments: 27 pages, 11 figures; Published version

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. X 9, 021047 (2019)

Signatures of pair-density wave order in phase-sensitive measurements of La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$-Nb Josephson junctions and SQUIDs

Authors: D. R. Hamilton, G. D. Gu, E. Fradkin, D. J. Van Harlingen

Abstract: The interplay of charge order, spin order, and superconductivity in La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ creates a complex physical system that hosts several interesting phases, such as two-dimensional superconductivity within the CuO$_2$ planes and the ordered pair-density wave state in which charge ordering is intertwined with superconductivity. Using Josephson interferometry techniques, we measure the curre… ▽ More The interplay of charge order, spin order, and superconductivity in La$_{2-x}$Ba$_x$CuO$_4$ creates a complex physical system that hosts several interesting phases, such as two-dimensional superconductivity within the CuO$_2$ planes and the ordered pair-density wave state in which charge ordering is intertwined with superconductivity. Using Josephson interferometry techniques, we measure the current-phase relation of junctions and SQUIDs incorporating this material and observe a significant sin($2φ$)-component indicative of closely-spaced alternations of the sign of the Josephson coupling predicted by the pair-density wave model. We find that the ratio of the sin(2$φ$)-component to the conventional sin($φ$)-component to be largest near x=1/8 doping, where the pair-density wave state is believed to be the strongest, and that it increases with increasing temperature as the Josephson coupling in the junction weakens. △ Less

Submitted 5 November, 2018; originally announced November 2018.

Dirac Composite Fermions and Emergent Reflection Symmetry about Even Denominator Filling Fractions

Authors: Hart Goldman, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Motivated by the appearance of a `reflection symmetry' in transport experiments and the absence of statistical periodicity in relativistic quantum field theories, we propose a series of relativistic composite fermion theories for the compressible states appearing at filling fractions $ν=1/2n$ in quantum Hall systems. These theories consist of electrically neutral Dirac fermions attached to $2n$ fl… ▽ More Motivated by the appearance of a `reflection symmetry' in transport experiments and the absence of statistical periodicity in relativistic quantum field theories, we propose a series of relativistic composite fermion theories for the compressible states appearing at filling fractions $ν=1/2n$ in quantum Hall systems. These theories consist of electrically neutral Dirac fermions attached to $2n$ flux quanta via an emergent Chern-Simons gauge field. While not possessing an explicit particle-hole symmetry, these theories reproduce the known Jain sequence states proximate to $ν=1/2n$, and we show that such states can be related by the observed reflection symmetry, at least at mean field level. We further argue that the lowest Landau level limit requires that the Dirac fermions be tuned to criticality, whether or not this symmetry extends to the compressible states themselves. △ Less

Submitted 1 November, 2018; v1 submitted 28 August, 2018; originally announced August 2018.

Comments: 25 pages, minor revisions

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 98, 165137 (2018)

Helical spin thermoelectrics controlled by a side-coupled magnetic quantum dot in the quantum spin Hall state

Authors: P. Roura-Bas, Liliana. Arrachea, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We study the thermoelectric response of a device containing a pair of helical edge states contacted at the same temperature $T$ and chemical potential $μ$ and connected to an external reservoir, with different chemical potential and temperature, through a side quantum dot. Different operational modes can be induced by applying a magnetic field $B$ and a gate voltage $V_g$ at the quantum dot. At fi… ▽ More We study the thermoelectric response of a device containing a pair of helical edge states contacted at the same temperature $T$ and chemical potential $μ$ and connected to an external reservoir, with different chemical potential and temperature, through a side quantum dot. Different operational modes can be induced by applying a magnetic field $B$ and a gate voltage $V_g$ at the quantum dot. At finite $B$, the quantum dot acts simultaneously as a charge and a spin filter. Charge and spin currents are induced, not only through the quantum dot, but also along the edge states. We focus on linear response and analyze the regimes, which we identify as charge heat engines or refrigerator, spin heat engine and spin refrigerator. △ Less

Submitted 20 November, 2018; v1 submitted 16 August, 2018; originally announced August 2018.

Comments: 11 pages, 9 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 98, 195429 (2018)

Bosonization of Fermi liquids in a weak magnetic field

Authors: Daniel G. Barci, Eduardo Fradkin, Leonardo Ribeiro

Abstract: Novel controlled non-perturbative techniques are a must in the study of strongly correlated systems, especially near quantum criticality. One of these techniques, bosonization, has been extensively used to understand one-dimensional, as well as higher dimensional electronic systems at finite density. In this paper, we generalize the theory of two-dimensional bosonization of Fermi liquids, in the p… ▽ More Novel controlled non-perturbative techniques are a must in the study of strongly correlated systems, especially near quantum criticality. One of these techniques, bosonization, has been extensively used to understand one-dimensional, as well as higher dimensional electronic systems at finite density. In this paper, we generalize the theory of two-dimensional bosonization of Fermi liquids, in the presence of a homogeneous weak magnetic field perpendicular to the plane. Here, we extend the formalism of bosonization to treat free spinless fermions at finite density in a uniform magnetic field. We show that particle-hole fluctuations of a Fermi surface satisfy a {\em covariant Schwinger algebra}, allowing to express a fermionic theory with forward scattering interactions as a quadratic bosonic theory representing the quantum fluctuations of the Fermi surface. By means of a coherent-state path integral formalism we compute the fermion propagator as well as particle-hole bosonic correlations functions. We analyze the presence of de Haas-van Alphen oscillations and show how the quantum oscillations of the orbital magnetization, the Lifshitz-Kosevich theory, are obtained by means of the bosonized theory. We also study the effects of forward scattering interactions. In particular, we obtain oscillatory corrections to the Landau zero sound collective mode. △ Less

Submitted 28 August, 2018; v1 submitted 14 May, 2018; originally announced May 2018.

Comments: 20 pages, 6 figures. Improved version. Two figures added. References updated. New section on forward scattering interactions added

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 98, 155146 (2018)

Scrambling in the Quantum Lifshitz Model

Authors: Eugeniu Plamadeala, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We study signatures of chaos in the quantum Lifshitz model through out-of-time ordered correlators (OTOC) of current operators. This model is a free scalar field theory with dynamical critical exponent $z=2$. It describes the quantum phase transition in 2D systems, such as quantum dimer models, between a phase with an uniform ground state to another one with a spontaneously translation invariance.… ▽ More We study signatures of chaos in the quantum Lifshitz model through out-of-time ordered correlators (OTOC) of current operators. This model is a free scalar field theory with dynamical critical exponent $z=2$. It describes the quantum phase transition in 2D systems, such as quantum dimer models, between a phase with an uniform ground state to another one with a spontaneously translation invariance. At the lowest temperatures the chaotic dynamics are dominated by a marginally irrelevant operator which induces a temperature dependent stiffness term. The numerical computations of OTOC exhibit a non-zero Lyapunov exponent (LE) in a wide range of temperatures and interaction strengths. The LE (in units of temperature) is a weakly temperature-dependent function; it vanishes at weak interaction and saturates for strong interaction. The Butterfly velocity increases monotonically with interaction strength in the studied region while remaining smaller than the interaction-induced velocity/stiffness. △ Less

Submitted 15 April, 2018; v1 submitted 20 February, 2018; originally announced February 2018.

Comments: 15 pages + appendices. 12 figures

Boson-fermion duality in a gravitational background

Authors: Yago Ferreiros, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We study the $2+1$ dimensional boson-fermion duality in the presence of background curvature and electromagnetic fields. The main players are, on the one hand, a massive complex $|φ|^4$ scalar field coupled to a $U(1)$ Maxwell-Chern-Simons gauge field at level $1$, representing a relativistic composite boson with one unit of attached flux, and on the other hand, a massive Dirac fermion. We show th… ▽ More We study the $2+1$ dimensional boson-fermion duality in the presence of background curvature and electromagnetic fields. The main players are, on the one hand, a massive complex $|φ|^4$ scalar field coupled to a $U(1)$ Maxwell-Chern-Simons gauge field at level $1$, representing a relativistic composite boson with one unit of attached flux, and on the other hand, a massive Dirac fermion. We show that, in a curved background and at the level of the partition function, the relativistic composite boson, in the infinite coupling limit, is dual to a short-range interacting Dirac fermion. The coupling to the gravitational spin connection arises naturally from the spin factors of the Wilson loop in the Chern-Simons theory. A non-minimal coupling to the scalar curvature is included on the bosonic side in order to obtain agreement between partition functions. Although an explicit Lagrangian expression for the fermionic interactions is not obtained, their short-range nature constrains them to be irrelevant, which protects the duality in its strong interpretation as an exact mapping at the IR fixed point between a Wilson-Fischer-Chern-Simons complex scalar and a free Dirac fermion. We also show that, even away from the IR, keeping the $|φ|^4$ term is of key importance as it provides the short-range bosonic interactions necessary to prevent intersections of worldlines in the path integral, thus forbidding unknotting of knots and ensuring preservation of the worldline topologies. △ Less

Submitted 18 December, 2018; v1 submitted 16 February, 2018; originally announced February 2018.

Comments: Final version published in Annals of Physics

Journal ref: Ann. Phys. 399 (2018) 1-25

Pair Density Waves in Superconducting Vortex Halos

Authors: Yuxuan Wang, Stephen D. Edkins, Mohammad H. Hamidian, J. C. Séamus Davis, Eduardo Fradkin, Steven A. Kivelson

Abstract: We analyze the interplay between a d-wave uniform superconducting and a pair-density-wave (PDW) order parameter in the neighborhood of a vortex. We develop a phenomenological nonlinear sigma-model, solve the saddle point equation for the order parameter configuration, and compute the resulting local density of states in the vortex halo. The intertwining of the two superconducting orders leads to a… ▽ More We analyze the interplay between a d-wave uniform superconducting and a pair-density-wave (PDW) order parameter in the neighborhood of a vortex. We develop a phenomenological nonlinear sigma-model, solve the saddle point equation for the order parameter configuration, and compute the resulting local density of states in the vortex halo. The intertwining of the two superconducting orders leads to a charge density modulation with the same periodicity as the PDW, which is twice the period of the charge-density-wave that arises as a second-harmonic of the PDW itself. We discuss key features of the charge density modulation that can be directly compared with recent results from scanning tunneling microscopy and speculate on the role PDW order may play in the global phase diagram of the hole-doped cuprates. △ Less

Submitted 18 February, 2018; v1 submitted 5 February, 2018; originally announced February 2018.

Comments: 14 pages, 10 figures; minor corrections in the numerical results

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 97, 174510 (2018)

Loop Models, Modular Invariance, and Three Dimensional Bosonization

Authors: Hart Goldman, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We consider a family of quantum loop models in 2+1 spacetime dimensions with marginally long-ranged and statistical interactions mediated by a U$(1)$ gauge field, both purely in 2+1 dimensions and on a surface in a 3+1 dimensional bulk system. In the absence of fractional spin, these theories have been shown to be self-dual under particle-vortex duality and shifts of the statistical angle of the l… ▽ More We consider a family of quantum loop models in 2+1 spacetime dimensions with marginally long-ranged and statistical interactions mediated by a U$(1)$ gauge field, both purely in 2+1 dimensions and on a surface in a 3+1 dimensional bulk system. In the absence of fractional spin, these theories have been shown to be self-dual under particle-vortex duality and shifts of the statistical angle of the loops by $2π$, which form a subgroup of the modular group, PSL$(2,\mathbb{Z})$. We show that careful consideration of fractional spin in these theories completely breaks their statistical periodicity and describe how this occurs, resolving a disagreement with the conformal field theories they appear to approach at criticality. We show explicitly that incorporation of fractional spin leads to loop model dualities which parallel the recent web of 2+1 dimensional field theory dualities, providing a nontrivial check on its validity. △ Less

Submitted 14 May, 2018; v1 submitted 15 January, 2018; originally announced January 2018.

Comments: 41 pages, including two appendices

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 97, 195112 (2018)

Enhanced thermoelectric response in the fractional quantum Hall effect

Authors: Pablo Roura-Bas, Liliana Arrachea, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We study the linear thermoelectric response of a quantum dot embedded in a constriction of a quantum Hall bar with fractional filling factors nu=1/m within Laughlin series. We calculate the figure of merit ZT for the maximum efficiency at a fixed temperature difference. We find a significant enhancement of this quantity in the fractional filling in relation to the integer-filling case, which is a… ▽ More We study the linear thermoelectric response of a quantum dot embedded in a constriction of a quantum Hall bar with fractional filling factors nu=1/m within Laughlin series. We calculate the figure of merit ZT for the maximum efficiency at a fixed temperature difference. We find a significant enhancement of this quantity in the fractional filling in relation to the integer-filling case, which is a direct consequence of the fractionalization of the electron in the fractional quantum Hall state. We present simple theoretical expressions for the Onsager coefficients at low temperatures, which explicitly show that ZT and the Seebeck coefficient increase with m. △ Less

Submitted 27 November, 2017; originally announced November 2017.

Comments: 5 pages, 4 figures, suplemental material

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 97, 081104 (2018)

Chern-Simons Composite Fermion Theory of Fractional Chern Insulators

Authors: Ramanjit Sohal, Luiz H. Santos, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We formulate a Chern-Simons composite fermion theory for Fractional Chern Insulators (FCIs), whereby bare fermions are mapped into composite fermions coupled to a lattice Chern-Simons gauge theory. We apply this construction to a Chern insulator model on the kagome lattice and identify a rich structure of gapped topological phases characterized by fractionalized excitations including states with u… ▽ More We formulate a Chern-Simons composite fermion theory for Fractional Chern Insulators (FCIs), whereby bare fermions are mapped into composite fermions coupled to a lattice Chern-Simons gauge theory. We apply this construction to a Chern insulator model on the kagome lattice and identify a rich structure of gapped topological phases characterized by fractionalized excitations including states with unequal filling and Hall conductance. Gapped states with the same Hall conductance at different filling fractions are characterized as realizing distinct symmetry fractionalization classes. △ Less

Submitted 24 February, 2018; v1 submitted 19 July, 2017; originally announced July 2017.

Comments: 14 pages, 7 figures. Expanded version in PRB format with revised mean field analysis (conclusions are essentially unchanged)

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 97, 125131 (2018)

Gapless quantum spin chains: multiple dynamics and conformal wavefunctions

Authors: Xiao Chen, Eduardo Fradkin, William Witczak-Krempa

Abstract: We study gapless quantum spin chains with spin 1/2 and 1: the Fredkin and Motzkin models. Their entangled groundstates are known exactly but not their excitation spectra. We first express the groundstates in the continuum which allows for the calculation of spin and entanglement properties in a unified fashion. Doing so, we uncover an emergent conformal-type symmetry, thus consolidating the connec… ▽ More We study gapless quantum spin chains with spin 1/2 and 1: the Fredkin and Motzkin models. Their entangled groundstates are known exactly but not their excitation spectra. We first express the groundstates in the continuum which allows for the calculation of spin and entanglement properties in a unified fashion. Doing so, we uncover an emergent conformal-type symmetry, thus consolidating the connection to a widely studied family of Lifshitz quantum critical points in 2d. We then obtain the low lying excited states via large-scale DMRG simulations and find that the dynamical exponent is z = 3.2 in both cases. Other excited states show a different z, indicating that these models have multiple dynamics. Moreover, we modify the spin-1/2 model by adding a ferromagnetic Heisenberg term, which changes the entire spectrum. We track the resulting non-trivial evolution of the dynamical exponents using DMRG. Finally, we exploit an exact map from the quantum Hamiltonian to the non-equilibrium dynamics of a classical spin chain to shed light on the quantum dynamics. △ Less

Submitted 23 October, 2017; v1 submitted 7 July, 2017; originally announced July 2017.

Comments: For a special issue of Journal of Physics A celebrating John Cardy's 70th birthday. 19+6 pages, 7+3 figures, 2+1 tables. v2: final version with minor modifications

Journal ref: J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 50 464002 (2017)

Quantum spin chains with multiple dynamics

Authors: Xiao Chen, Eduardo Fradkin, William Witczak-Krempa

Abstract: Many-body systems with multiple emergent time scales arise in various contexts, including classical critical systems, correlated quantum materials, and ultra-cold atoms. We investigate such non-trivial quantum dynamics in a new setting: a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic chain. It has a solvable entangled groundstate, but a gapless excitation spectrum that is poorly understood. By using large-scale DMR… ▽ More Many-body systems with multiple emergent time scales arise in various contexts, including classical critical systems, correlated quantum materials, and ultra-cold atoms. We investigate such non-trivial quantum dynamics in a new setting: a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic chain. It has a solvable entangled groundstate, but a gapless excitation spectrum that is poorly understood. By using large-scale DMRG simulations, we find that the lowest excitations have a dynamical exponent $z$ that varies from 2 to 3.2 as we vary a coupling in the Hamiltonian. We find an additional gapless mode with a continuously varying exponent $2\leq z <2.7$, which establishes the presence of multiple dynamics. In order to explain these striking properties, we construct a continuum wavefunction for the groundstate, which correctly describes the correlations and entanglement properties. We also give a continuum parent Hamiltonian, but show that additional ingredients are needed to capture the excitations of the chain. By using an exact mapping to the non-equilibrium dynamics of a classical spin chain, we find that the large dynamical exponent is due to subdiffusive spin motion. Finally, we discuss the connections to other spin chains and to a family of quantum critical models in 2d. △ Less

Submitted 7 November, 2017; v1 submitted 7 June, 2017; originally announced June 2017.

Comments: 4+5 pages, 2+4 figures, 1 table. v2: minor changes to reflect the published version

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 96, 180402 (2017)

Symmetric-Gapped Surface States of Fractional Topological Insulators

Authors: Gil Young Cho, Jeffrey C. Y. Teo, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We construct the symmetric-gapped surface states of a fractional topological insulator with electromagnetic $θ$-angle $θ_{em} = \fracπ{3}$ and a discrete $\mathbb{Z}_3$ gauge field. They are the proper generalizations of the T-pfaffian state and pfaffian/anti-semion state and feature an extended periodicity compared with their of "integer" topological band insulators counterparts. We demonstrate t… ▽ More We construct the symmetric-gapped surface states of a fractional topological insulator with electromagnetic $θ$-angle $θ_{em} = \fracπ{3}$ and a discrete $\mathbb{Z}_3$ gauge field. They are the proper generalizations of the T-pfaffian state and pfaffian/anti-semion state and feature an extended periodicity compared with their of "integer" topological band insulators counterparts. We demonstrate that the surface states have the correct anomalies associated with time-reversal symmetry and charge conservation. △ Less

Submitted 1 June, 2017; originally announced June 2017.

Comments: 5 pages, 33 references and 2 pages of supplemental material

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 96, 195105 (2017)

Effective field theory of an anomalous Hall metal from interband quantum fluctuations

Authors: Victor Chua, Wathid Assawasunthonnet, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: We construct an effective field theory, a two-dimensional two-component metallic system described by a model with two Fermi surfaces ("pockets"). This model describes a translationally invariant metallic system with two types of fermions, each with its own Fermi surface, with forward scattering interactions. This model, in addition to the $O(2)$ rotational invariance, has a $U(1) \times U(1)$ symm… ▽ More We construct an effective field theory, a two-dimensional two-component metallic system described by a model with two Fermi surfaces ("pockets"). This model describes a translationally invariant metallic system with two types of fermions, each with its own Fermi surface, with forward scattering interactions. This model, in addition to the $O(2)$ rotational invariance, has a $U(1) \times U(1)$ symmetry of separate charge conservation for each Fermi surface. For sufficiently attractive interactions in the $d$-wave (quadrupolar) channel this model has an interesting phase diagram that includes a spontaneously generated anomalous Hall metal phase. We derive the Landau-Ginzburg effective action of quadrupolar order parameter fields which enjoys an $O(2)\times U(1)$ global symmetry associated to spatial isotropy and the internal $U(1)$ relative phase symmetries respectively. We show that the order parameter theory is dynamically local with a dynamical scaling of $z=2$ and perform a one-loop renormalization group analysis of the Landau-Ginzburg theory. The electronic liquid crystal phases that result from spontaneous symmetry breaking are studied and we show the presence of Landau damped Nambu-Goldstone modes at low momenta that is a signature of non-Fermi liquid behavior. Electromagnetic linear response is also analyzed in both the normal and symmetry broken phases from the point of view of the order parameter theory. The nature of the coupling of electromagnetism to the order parameter fields in the normal phase is non-minimal and decidedly contains a precursor to the anomalous Hall response in the form of a order-parameter-dependent Chern-Simons term in the effective action. △ Less

Submitted 8 July, 2017; v1 submitted 12 April, 2017; originally announced April 2017.

Comments: 31 pages, 12 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 96, 035110 (2017)

The mother of all states of the kagome quantum antiferromagnet

Authors: Hitesh J. Changlani, Dmitrii Kochkov, Krishna Kumar, Bryan K. Clark, Eduardo Fradkin

Abstract: Frustrated quantum magnets are a central theme in condensed matter physics due to the richness of their phase diagrams. They support a panoply of phases including various ordered states and topological phases. Yet, this problem has defied a solution for a long time due to the lack of controlled approximations which make it difficult to distinguish between competing phases. Here we report the disco… ▽ More Frustrated quantum magnets are a central theme in condensed matter physics due to the richness of their phase diagrams. They support a panoply of phases including various ordered states and topological phases. Yet, this problem has defied a solution for a long time due to the lack of controlled approximations which make it difficult to distinguish between competing phases. Here we report the discovery of a special quantum macroscopically degenerate point in the XXZ model on the spin-1/2 kagome quantum antiferromagnet for the ratio of Ising to antiferromagnetic transverse coupling Jz/J=-1/2. This point is proximate to many competing phases explaining the source of the complexity of the phase diagram. We identify five phases near this point including both spin-liquid and broken-symmetry phases and give evidence that the kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet is close to a transition between two phases. △ Less

Submitted 15 March, 2018; v1 submitted 14 March, 2017; originally announced March 2017.

Comments: 5 pages, including 4 figures + 1 table. 7 pages of supplementary information with 4 figures + 1 table. v2 closely matches the version accepted in PRL (Editor's suggestion). PRL title is "Macroscopically Degenerate Exactly Solvable Point in the Spin-1/2 Kagome Quantum Antiferromagnet"

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 117202 (2018)