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Flavio S. Nogueira

Publications and source records attributed to Flavio S. Nogueira.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2012

Strong-coupling topological Josephson effect in quantum wires

We investigate the Josephson effect for a setup with two lattice quantum wires featuring Majorana zero energy boundary modes at the tunnel junction. In the weak-coupling, the exact solution reproduces the perturbative result for the energy containing a contribution $\sim \pm\cos(ϕ/2)$ relative to the tunneling of paired Majorana fermions. As the tunnel amplitude $g$ grows relative to the hopping amplitude $w$, the gap between the energy levels gradually diminishes until it closes completely at the critical value $g_c=\sqrt{2}w$. At this point the Josephson energies have the principal values $E_{mσ}=2σ\sqrt{2}w\cos[ϕ/6+2π(m-1)/3]$, where $m=-1,0,1$ and $σ=\pm 1$, a result not following from perturbation theory. It represents a transparent regime where three Bogoliubov states merge, leading to additional degeneracies of the topologically nontrivial ground state with odd number of Majorana fermions at the end of each wire. We also obtain the exact tunnel currents for a fixed parity of the eigenstates. The Josephson current shows the characteristic $4π$ periodicity expected for a topological Josephson effect. We discuss the additional features of the current associated with a closure of the energy gap between the energy levels.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2012

Deconfined quantum criticality and logarithmic violations of scaling from emergent gauge symmetry

We demonstrate that the low-energy effective theory for a deconfined quantum critical point in $d=2+1$ dimensions contains a leading order contribution given by the Faddeev-Skyrme model. The Faddeev-Skyrme term is shown to give rise to the crucial Maxwell term in the CP$^1$ field theory governing the deconfined quantum critical point. We derive the leading contribution to the spin stiffness near the quantum critical point and show that it exhibits a logarithmic correction to scaling of the same type as recently observed numerically in low dimensional models of quantum spin systems featuring a quantum critical point separating an antiferromagnetically ordered state from a valence bond solid state. These corrections, appearing away from upper or lower critical dimensions, reflect an emergent gauge symmetry of low-dimensional antiferromagnetic quantum spin systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2009

Renormalization, duality, and phase transitions in two- and three-dimensional quantum dimer models

We derive an extended lattice gauge theory type action for quantum dimer models and relate it to the height representations of these systems. We examine the system in two and three dimensions and analyze the phase structure in terms of effective theories and duality arguments. For the two-dimensional case we derive the effective potential both at zero and finite temperature. The zero-temperature theory at the Rokhsar-Kivelson (RK) point has a critical point related to the self-dual point of a class of $Z_N$ models in the $N\to\infty$ limit. Two phase transitions featuring a fixed line are shown to appear in the phase diagram, one at zero temperature and at the RK point and another one at finite temperature above the RK point. The latter will be shown to correspond to a Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) phase transition, while the former will be governed by a KT-like universality class, i.e., sharing many features with a KT transition but actually corresponding to a different universality class. On the other hand, we show that at the RK point no phase transition happens at finite temperature. For the three-dimensional case we derive the corresponding dual gauge theory model at the RK point. We show in this case that at zero temperature a first-order phase transition occurs, while at finite temperatures both first- and second-order phase transitions are possible, depending on the relative values of the couplings involved.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2009

Universal properties of the U(1) current at deconfined quantum critical points: comparison with predictions from gauge/gravity duality

The deconfined quantum critical point of a two-dimensional SU(N) antiferromagnet is governed by an Abelian Higgs model in $d=2+1$ spacetime dimensions featuring $N$ complex scalar fields. In this context, we derive for $2\leq d\leq 4$ an exact formula for the central charge of the U(1) current in terms of the gauge coupling at quantum criticality and compare it with the corresponding result obtained using gauge-gravity duality. There is a remarkable similarity precisely for $d=2+1$. In this case the amplitude of the current correlation function has the same form as predicted by the gauge-gravity duality. We also compare finite temperature results for the charge susceptibility in the large $N$ limit with the result predicted by the gauge-gravity duality. Our results suggest that condensed matter systems at quantum criticality may provide interesting quantitative tests of the gauge-gravity duality even in absence of supersymmetry.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2008

Deconfined quantum criticality driven by Dirac fermions in SU(2) antiferromagnets

Quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions is an effective gauge theory for the so called algebraic quantum liquids. A new type of such a liquid, the algebraic charge liquid, has been proposed recently in the context of deconfined quantum critical points [R. K. Kaul {\it et al.}, Nature Physics {\bf 4}, 28 (2008)]. In this context, we show by using the renormalization group in $d=4-ε$ spacetime dimensions, that a deconfined quantum critical point occurs in a SU(2) system provided the number of Dirac fermion species $N_f\geq 4$. The calculations are done in a representation where the Dirac fermions are given by four-component spinors. The critical exponents are calculated for several values of $N_f$. In particular, for $N_f=4$ and $ε=1$ ($d=2+1$) the anomalous dimension of the Néel field is given by $η_N=1/3$, with a correlation length exponent $ν=1/2$. These values change considerably for $N_f>4$. For instance, for $N_f=6$ we find $η_N\approx 0.75191$ and $ν\approx 0.66009$. We also investigate the effect of chiral symmetry breaking and analyze the scaling behavior of the chiral holon susceptibility, $G_χ(x)\equiv<\bar ψ(x)ψ(x)\bar ψ(0)ψ(0)>$.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2007

Quantum critical scaling behavior of deconfined spinons

We perform a renormalization group analysis of some important effective field theoretic models for deconfined spinons. We show that deconfined spinons are critical for an isotropic SU(N) Heisenberg antiferromagnet, if $N$ is large enough. We argue that nonperturbatively this result should persist down to N=2 and provide further evidence for the so called deconfined quantum criticality scenario. Deconfined spinons are also shown to be critical for the case describing a transition between quantum spin nematic and dimerized phases. On the other hand, the deconfined quantum criticality scenario is shown to fail for a class of easy-plane models. For the cases where deconfined quantum criticality occurs, we calculate the critical exponent $η$ for the decay of the two-spin correlation function to first-order in $ε=4-d$. We also note the scaling relation $η=d+2(1-ϕ/ν)$ connecting the exponent $η$ for the decay to the correlation length exponent $ν$ and the crossover exponent $ϕ$.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2007

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

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

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2006

Thermally induced rotons in two-dimensional dilute Bose gases

We show that roton-like excitations are thermally induced in a two-dimensional dilute Bose gas as a consequence of the strong phase fluctuations in two dimensions. At low momentum, the roton-like excitations lead for small enough temperatures to an anomalous phonon spectrum with a temperature dependent exponent reminiscent of the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. Despite the anomalous form of the energy spectrum, it is shown that the corresponding effective theory of vortices describes the usual Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. The possible existence of an anomalous normal state in a small temperature interval is also discussed.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2006

Spin and Charge Josephson effects between non-uniform superconductors with coexisting helimagnetic order

We consider the spin and charge Josephson current between two non-uniform Fulde-Ferrel-Larkin-Ovchinnikov superconductors with helimagnetic order. We demonstrate that the presence of the helimagnetic phase generates a spin Josephson effect and leads to additional contributions to both single-particle and Josephson charge current. It is shown that for such systems the AC effect differs more radically from the DC effect than in the case of a BCS superconductor with helimagnetic order considered earlier in the literature [M. L. Kulić and I. M. Kulić, Phys. Rev. B {\bf 63}, 104503 (2001)] where a spin Josephson current has also been found. In our system the most interesting effect occurs in the presence of an external magnetic field and in absence of voltage, where we show that the charge Josephson current can be tuned to zero while the spin Josephson current is non-vanishing. This provides a well controlled mechanism to generate a spin supercurrent in absence of charge currents.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2005

Quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions, confinement, and the stability of U(1) spin liquids

Compact quantum electrodynamics in 2+1 dimensions often arises as an effective theory for a Mott insulator, with the Dirac fermions representing the low-energy spinons. An important and controversial issue in this context is whether a deconfinement transition takes place. We perform a renormalization group analysis to show that deconfinement occurs when $N>N_c=36/π^3\approx 1.161$, where $N$ is the number of fermion replica. For $N<N_c$, however, there are two stable fixed points separated by a line containing a unstable non-trivial fixed point: a fixed point corresponding to the scaling limit of the non-compact theory, and another one governing the scaling behavior of the compact theory. The string tension associated to the confining interspinon potential is shown to exhibit a universal jump as $N\to N_c^-$. Our results imply the stability of a spin liquid at the physical value N=2 for Mott insulators.

cond-mat.str-el↗
arXiv2005

Critical dynamics, duality, and the exact dynamic exponent in extreme type II superconductors

The critical dynamics of superconductors is studied using renormalization group and duality arguments. We show that in extreme type II superconductors the dynamic critical exponent is given exactly by $z=3/2$. This result does not rely on the widely used models of critical dynamics. Instead, it is shown that $z=3/2$ follows from the duality between the extreme type II superconductor and a model with a critically fluctuating gauge field. Our result is in agreement with Monte Carlo simulations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2004

Spin Josephson effect in ferromagnet/ferromagnet tunnel junctions

We consider the tunnel spin current between two ferromagnetic metals from a perspective similar to the one used in superconductor/superconductor tunnel junctions. We use fundamental arguments to derive a Josephson-like spin tunnel current $I_J^{\rm spin}\propto\sin(θ_1-θ_2)$. Here the phases are associated with the planar contribution to the magnetization, $ \sim e^{iθ}$. The crucial step in our analysis is the fact that the $z$-component of the spin is canonically conjugate to the phase of the planar contribution: $[θ,S^z]=i$. This is analogous to the commutation relation $[ϕ,N]=i$ in superconductors, where $ϕ$ is the phase associated to the superconducting order parameter and $N$ is the Cooper pair number operator. We briefly discuss the experimental consequences of our theoretical analysis.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗
arXiv2003

Kosterlitz-Thouless-like deconfinement mechanism in the 2+1 dimensional Abelian Higgs model

We point out that the permanent confinement in a compact 2+1-dimensional U(1) Abelian Higgs model is destroyed by matter fields in the fundamental representation. The deconfinement transition is Kosterlitz-Thouless like. The dual theory is shown to describe a three-dimensional gas of point charges with logarithmic interactions which arises from an anomalous dimension of the gauge field caused by critical matter field fluctuations. The theory is equivalent to a sine-Gordon-like theory in 2+1 dimensions with an anomalous gradient energy proportional to $k^3$. The Callan-Symanzik equation is used to demonstrate that this theory has a massless and a massive phase. The renormalization group equations for the fugacity $y(l)$ and stiffness parameter $K(l)$ of the theory show that the renormalization of $K(l)$ induces an anomalous scaling dimension $η_y$ of $y(l)$. The stiffness parameter of the theory has a universal jump at the transition determined by the dimensionality and $η_y$. As a byproduct of our analysis, we relate the critical coupling of the sine-Gordon-like theory to an {\it a priori} arbitrary constant that enters into the computation of critical exponents in the Abelian Higgs model at the charged infrared-stable fixed point of the theory, enabling a determination of this parameter. This facilitates the computation of the critical exponent $ν$ at the charged fixed point in excellent agreement with one-loop renormalization group calculations for the three-dimensional XY-model, thus confirming expectations based on duality transformations.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

Deconfinement mechanism in three dimensions for gauge fields coupled to bosonic matter fields with fundamental charge

We propose a mechanism by which electric charges deconfine in an Abelian Higgs model with matter fields belonging to the fundamental representation of the gauge group. Kosterlitz-Thouless like recursion relations for a scale-dependent stiffness parameter and fugacity are given, showing that for a logarithmic potential between point charges in any dimension, there exists a stable fixed point at zero fugacity, with a dimensionality dependent universal jump in the stiffness parameter at the phase transition.

hep-th↗
arXiv2003

Field Theoretical Approaches to the Superconducting Phase Transition

Several field theoretical approaches to the superconducting phase transition are discussed. Emphasis is given to theories of scaling and renormalization group in the context of the Ginzburg-Landau theory and its variants. Also discussed is the duality approach, which allows to access the strong-coupling limit of the Ginzburg-Landau theory.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2002

Charged fixed point in the Ginzburg-Landau superconductor and the role of the Ginzburg parameter $κ$

We present a semi-perturbative approach which yields an infrared-stable fixed point in the Ginzburg-Landau for N=2, where $N/2$ is the number of complex components. The calculations are done in $d=3$ dimensions and below $T_c$, where the renormalization group functions can be expressed directly as functions of the Ginzburg parameter $κ$ which is the ratio between the two fundamental scales of the problem, the penetration depth $λ$ and the correlation length $ξ$. We find a charged fixed point for $κ>1/\sqrt{2}$, that is, in the type II regime, where $Δκ\equivκ-1/\sqrt{2}$ is shown to be a natural expansion parameter. This parameter controls a momentum space instability in the two-point correlation function of the order field. This instability appears at a nonzero wave-vector ${\bf p}_0$ whose magnitude scales like $\simΔκ^{\barβ}$, with a critical exponent $\barβ=1/2$ in the one-loop approximation, a behavior known from magnetic systems with a Lifshitz point in the phase diagram. This momentum space instability is argued to be the origin of the negative $η$-exponent of the order field.

cond-mat↗
arXiv2002

Deconfinement transition in three-dimensional compact U(1) gauge theories coupled to matter fields

It is shown that permanent confinement in three-dimensional compact U(1) gauge theory can be destroyed by matter fields in a deconfinement transition. This is a consequence of a non-trivial infrared fixed point caused by matter, and an anomalous scaling dimension of the gauge field. This leads to a logarithmic interaction between the defects of the gauge-fields, which form a gas of magnetic monopoles. In the presence of logarithmic interactions, the original electric charges are unconfined. The confined phase which is permanent in the absence of matter fields is reached at a critical electric charge, where the interaction between magnetic charges is screened by a pair unbinding transition in a Kosterlitz-Thouless type of phase-transition.

hep-th↗