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Edge physics at the deconfined transition between a quantum spin Hall insulator and a superconductor
by Ruochen Ma, Liujun Zou, Chong Wang
This Submission thread is now published as
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Chong Wang · Liujun Zou |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | scipost_202204_00010v1 (pdf) |
| Date accepted: | 2022-06-02 |
| Date submitted: | 2022-04-06 23:39 |
| Submitted by: | Zou, Liujun |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Theoretical |
Abstract
We study the edge physics of the deconfined quantum phase transition (DQCP) between a spontaneous quantum spin Hall (QSH) insulator and a spin-singlet superconductor (SC). Although the bulk of this transition is in the same universality class as the paradigmatic deconfined Neel to valence-bond-solid transition, the boundary physics has a richer structure due to proximity to a quantum spin Hall state. We use the parton trick to write down an effective field theory for the QSH-SC transition in the presence of a boundary. We calculate various edge properties in an $N\to\infty$ limit. We show that the boundary Luttinger liquid in the QSH state survives at the phase transition, but only as "fractional" degrees of freedom that carry charge but not spin. The physical fermion remains gapless on the edge at the critical point, with a universal jump in the fermion scaling dimension as the system approaches the transition from the QSH side. The critical point could be viewed as a gapless analogue of the quantum spin Hall state but with the full $SU(2)$ spin rotation symmetry, which cannot be realized if the bulk is gapped.
List of changes
Along various minor changes, we have mainly revised the discussion of the boundary conditions and emergent anomalies. In particular,
1. We have removed the discussion of $\varphi$ on the boundary, and a more explicit argument for the boundary condition we take is given. We have also added an Appendix A for further discussion.
2. We have expanded the discussion of emergent anomalies, with a new Appendix B containing more details.
Published as SciPost Phys. 12, 196 (2022)