An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid
Abstract Topological insulator phases of non-interacting particles have been generalized from periodic crystals to amorphous lattices, which raises the question whether topologically ordered quantum many-body phases may similarly exist in amorphous systems? Here we construct a soluble chiral amorpho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42105-9 |
| _version_ | 1797558707768262656 |
|---|---|
| author | G. Cassella P. d’Ornellas T. Hodson W. M. H. Natori J. Knolle |
| author_facet | G. Cassella P. d’Ornellas T. Hodson W. M. H. Natori J. Knolle |
| author_sort | G. Cassella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Topological insulator phases of non-interacting particles have been generalized from periodic crystals to amorphous lattices, which raises the question whether topologically ordered quantum many-body phases may similarly exist in amorphous systems? Here we construct a soluble chiral amorphous quantum spin liquid by extending the Kitaev honeycomb model to random lattices with fixed coordination number three. The model retains its exact solubility but the presence of plaquettes with an odd number of sides leads to a spontaneous breaking of time reversal symmetry. We unearth a rich phase diagram displaying Abelian as well as a non-Abelian quantum spin liquid phases with a remarkably simple ground state flux pattern. Furthermore, we show that the system undergoes a finite-temperature phase transition to a conducting thermal metal state and discuss possible experimental realisations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:34:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-33efdc6de3b1407cb1c085ec694a0b84 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:34:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-33efdc6de3b1407cb1c085ec694a0b842023-11-20T09:53:11ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232023-10-011411610.1038/s41467-023-42105-9An exact chiral amorphous spin liquidG. Cassella0P. d’Ornellas1T. Hodson2W. M. H. Natori3J. Knolle4Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College LondonBlackett Laboratory, Imperial College LondonBlackett Laboratory, Imperial College LondonInstitut Laue-LangevinBlackett Laboratory, Imperial College LondonAbstract Topological insulator phases of non-interacting particles have been generalized from periodic crystals to amorphous lattices, which raises the question whether topologically ordered quantum many-body phases may similarly exist in amorphous systems? Here we construct a soluble chiral amorphous quantum spin liquid by extending the Kitaev honeycomb model to random lattices with fixed coordination number three. The model retains its exact solubility but the presence of plaquettes with an odd number of sides leads to a spontaneous breaking of time reversal symmetry. We unearth a rich phase diagram displaying Abelian as well as a non-Abelian quantum spin liquid phases with a remarkably simple ground state flux pattern. Furthermore, we show that the system undergoes a finite-temperature phase transition to a conducting thermal metal state and discuss possible experimental realisations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42105-9 |
| spellingShingle | G. Cassella P. d’Ornellas T. Hodson W. M. H. Natori J. Knolle An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid Nature Communications |
| title | An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| title_full | An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| title_fullStr | An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| title_full_unstemmed | An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| title_short | An exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| title_sort | exact chiral amorphous spin liquid |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42105-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gcassella anexactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT pdornellas anexactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT thodson anexactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT wmhnatori anexactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT jknolle anexactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT gcassella exactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT pdornellas exactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT thodson exactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT wmhnatori exactchiralamorphousspinliquid AT jknolle exactchiralamorphousspinliquid |