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ZN gauge theories coupled to topological fermions: QED2 with a quantum mechanical θ angle

G. Magnifico, D. Vodola, E. Ercolessi, Prem Kumar Orcid Logo, M. Müller, A. Bermudez

Physical Review B, Volume: 100, Issue: 11

Swansea University Author: Prem Kumar Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1103/PhysRevB.100.115152

Abstract

We present a detailed study of the topological Schwinger model, which describes (1+1) quantum electrodynamics of an Abelian U(1) gauge field coupled to a symmetry-protected topological matter sector, by means of a class of ℤ_N lattice gauge theories. Employing density-matrix renormalization group te...

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Published in: Physical Review B
ISSN: 2469-9950 2469-9969
Published: 2019
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa52118
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Abstract: We present a detailed study of the topological Schwinger model, which describes (1+1) quantum electrodynamics of an Abelian U(1) gauge field coupled to a symmetry-protected topological matter sector, by means of a class of ℤ_N lattice gauge theories. Employing density-matrix renormalization group techniques that exactly implement Gauss' law, we show that these models host a correlated topological phase for different values of N, where fermion correlations arise through inter-particle interactions mediated by the gauge field. Moreover, by a careful finite-size scaling, we show that this phase is stable in the large-N limit, and that the phase boundaries are in accordance to bosonization predictions of the U(1) topological Schwinger model. Our results demonstrate that ℤ_N finite-dimensional gauge groups offer a practical route for an efficient classical simulation of equilibrium properties of electromagnetism with topological fermions. Additionally, we describe a scheme for the quantum simulation of a topological Schwinger model exploiting spin-changing collisions in boson-fermion mixtures of ultra-cold atoms in optical lattices. Although technically challenging, this quantum simulation would provide an alternative to classical density-matrix renormalization group techniques, providing also an efficient route to explore real-time non-equilibrium phenomena.
Issue: 11

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