2016/03/31 by Hui Shao, Wenan Guo, Anders W. Sandvik · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #cond-mat.str-el #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.1126/science.aad5007
published as Science 352, 213 (2016) · 13 pages + supplementary material, very minor changes in v2
arxiv created 2016/04/27 · arxiv updated 2016/04/28
The theory of deconfined quantum critical points describes phase transitions at temperature T = 0 outside the standard paradigm, predicting continuous transformations between certain ordered states where conventional theory requires discontinuities. Numerous computer simulations have offered no proof of such transitions, however, instead finding deviations from expected scaling relations that were neither predicted by the DQC theory nor conform to standard scenarios. Here we show that this enigma can be resolved by introducing a critical scaling form with two divergent length scales. Simulations of a quantum magnet with antiferromagnetic and dimerized ground states confirm the form, proving a continuous transition with deconfined excitations and also explaining anomalous scaling at T > 0. Our findings revise prevailing paradigms for quantum criticality, with potentially far-reaching implications for many strongly-correlated materials.