Quantum Spin Formulation of the Principal Chiral Model

We formulate the two-dimensional principal chiral model as a quantum spin model, replacing the classical fields by quantum operators acting in a Hilbert space, and introducing an additional, Euclidean time dimension. Using coherent state path integral techniques, we show that in the limit in which a large representation is chosen for the operators, the low energy excitations of the model describe a principal chiral model in three dimensions. By dimensional reduction, the two-dimensional principal chiral model of classical fields is recovered.Comment: 3pages, LATTICE9

Hofstadter butterfly as Quantum phase diagram

The Hofstadter butterfly is viewed as a quantum phase diagram with infinitely many phases, labelled by their (integer) Hall conductance, and a fractal structure. We describe various properties of this phase diagram: We establish Gibbs phase rules; count the number of components of each phase, and characterize the set of multiple phase coexistence.Comment: 4 prl pages 1 colored figure typos corrected, reference [26] added, "Ten Martini" assumption adde

Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann Reduction Approach to Multi-Photon Scattering in Coupled-Resonator Arrays

We present a quantum field theoretical approach based on the Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann reduction for the multi-photon scattering process in a nano-architecture consisting of the coupled resonator arrays (CRA), which are also coupled to some artificial atoms as the controlling quantum node. By making use of this approach, we find the bound states of single photon for an elementary unit, the T-type CRA, and explicitly obtain its multi-photon scattering S-matrix in various situations. We also use this method to calculate the multi-photon S-matrices for the more complex quantum network constructed with main T-type CRA's, such as a H-type CRA waveguide.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure

Chiral non-linear sigma-models as models for topological superconductivity

We study the mechanism of topological superconductivity in a hierarchical chain of chiral non-linear sigma-models (models of current algebra) in one, two, and three spatial dimensions. The models have roots in the 1D Peierls-Frohlich model and illustrate how the 1D Frohlich's ideal conductivity extends to a genuine superconductivity in dimensions higher than one. The mechanism is based on the fact that a point-like topological soliton carries an electric charge. We discuss a flux quantization mechanism and show that it is essentially a generalization of the persistent current phenomenon, known in quantum wires. We also discuss why the superconducting state is stable in the presence of a weak disorder.Comment: 5 pages, revtex, no figure

Entanglement entropy and quantum phase transitions in quantum dots coupled to Luttinger liquid wires

We study a quantum phase transition which occurs in a system composed of two impurities (or quantum dots) each coupled to a different interacting (Luttinger-liquid) lead. While the impurities are coupled electrostatically, there is no tunneling between them. Using a mapping of this system onto a Kondo model, we show analytically that the system undergoes a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum phase transition as function of the Luttinger liquid parameter in the leads and the dot-lead interaction. The phase with low values of the Luttinger-liquid parameter is characterized by an abrupt switch of the population between the impurities as function of a common applied gate voltage. However, this behavior is hard to verify numerically since one would have to study extremely long systems. Interestingly though, at the transition the entanglement entropy drops from a finite value of $\ln(2)$ to zero. The drop becomes sharp for infinite systems. One can employ finite size scaling to extrapolate the transition point and the behavior in its vicinity from the behavior of the entanglement entropy in moderate size samples. We employ the density matrix renormalization group numerical procedure to calculate the entanglement entropy of systems with lead lengths of up to 480 sites. Using finite size scaling we extract the transition value and show it to be in good agreement with the analytical prediction.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Tunneling and orthogonality catastrophe in the topological mechanism of superconductivity

We compute the angular dependence of the order parameter and tunneling amplitude in a model exhibiting topological superconductivity and sketch its derivation as a model of a doped Mott insulator. We show that ground states differing by an odd number of particles are orthogonal and the order parameter is in the d-representation, although the gap in the electronic spectrum has no nodes. We also develop an operator algebra, that allowes one to compute off-diagonal correlation functions.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex, psfig; some references are correcte