Publications (9)14.74 Total impact
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Article: RVB gauge theory and the Topological degeneracy in the Honeycomb Kitaev model
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ABSTRACT: We relate the Z$_2$ gauge theory formalism of the Kitaev model to the SU(2) gauge theory of the resonating valence bond (RVB) physics. Further, we reformulate a known Jordan-Wigner transformation of Kitaev model on a torus in a general way that shows that it can be thought of as a Z$_2$ gauge fixing procedure. The conserved quantities simplify in terms of the gauge invariant Jordan-Wigner fermions, enabling us to construct exact eigen states and calculate physical quantities. We calculate the fermionic spectrum for flux free sector for different gauge field configurations and show that the ground state is four-fold degenerate on a torus in thermodynamic limit. Further on a torus we construct four mutually anti-commuting operators which enable us to prove that all eigenstates of this model are four fold degenerate in thermodynamic limit.11/2011; -
Article: Confinement-deconfinement transition and spin correlations in a generalized Kitaev model
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ABSTRACT: We present a spin model, namely, the Kitaev model augmented by a loop term and perturbed by an Ising Hamiltonian, and show that it exhibits both confinement-deconfinement transitions from spin liquid to antiferromagnetic/spin-chain/ferromagnetic phases and topological quantum phase transitions between gapped and gapless spin-liquid phases. We develop a fermionic resonating-valence-bonds (RVB) mean-field theory to chart out the phase diagram of the model and estimate the stability of its spin-liquid phases, which might be relevant for attempts to realize the model in optical lattices and other spin systems. We present an analytical mean-field theory to study the confinement-deconfinement transition for large coefficient of the loop term and show that this transition is first order within such mean-field analysis in this limit. We also conjecture that in some other regimes, the confinement-deconfinement transitions in the model, predicted to be first order within the mean-field theory, may become second order via a defect condensation mechanism. Finally, we present a general classification of the perturbations to the Kitaev model on the basis of their effect on it's spin correlation functions and derive a necessary and sufficient condition, within the regime of validity of perturbation theory, for the spin correlators to exhibit a long-ranged power-law behavior in the presence of such perturbations. Our results reproduce those of Tikhonov et al. [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 106 067203 (2011)] as a special case.Phys. Rev. B. 10/2011; 84(15). -
Article: Spin correlations and phase diagram of the perturbed Kitaev model
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ABSTRACT: We present a general classification of the perturbations to the Kitaev model on the basis of their effect on it's spin correlation functions. We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the spin correlators to exhibit a long ranged power-law behavior in the presence of such perturbations. We substantiate our result by a study of the phase diagram of the Kitaev model augmented by a loop term and perturbed by an Ising term, within a RVB mean-field theory. We estimate the stability of the spin-liquid phase against such perturbations and show that this model exhibits both confinement-deconfinement transitions from spin liquid to antiferromagnetic/spin-chain/ferromagnetic phases as well as topological quantum phase transitions between gapped and gapless spin liquid phases.01/2011; -
Article: Exact quantum spin liquids with Fermi surfaces in spin-half models
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ABSTRACT: An emergent Fermi surface in a Mott insulator, an exotic quantum spin liquid state, was suggested by Anderson in 1987. After a quick support for its existence in spin-half Heisenberg model in a square lattice in a RVB mean field theory, pseudo Fermi surface was found only recently in an exactly solvable spin-3/2 model by Yao, Zhang and Kivelson. We show that a minimal spin-half Kitaev model on a decorated square lattice exhibits a Fermi surface. Volume and shape of the Fermi surface change with exchange couplings or on addition of a 3 spin interaction terms. Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures08/2009; -
Article: Spin-S Kitaev model: Classical Ground States, Order by Disorder and Exact Correlation Functions
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ABSTRACT: In the first part of this paper, we study the spin-S Kitaev model using spin wave theory. We discover a remarkable geometry of the minimum energy surface in the N-spin space. The classical ground states, called Cartesian or CN-ground states, whose number grows exponentially with the number of spins N, form a set of points in the N-spin space. These points are connected by a network of flat valleys in the N-spin space, giving rise to a continuous family of classical ground states. Further, the CN-ground states have a correspondence with dimer coverings and with self avoiding walks on a honeycomb lattice. The zero point energy of our spin wave theory picks out a subset from a continuous family of classically degenerate states as the quantum ground states; the number of these states also grows exponentially with N. In the second part, we present some exact results. For arbitrary spin-S, we show that localized Z_2 flux excitations are present by constructing plaquette operators with eigenvalues \pm 1 which commute with the Hamiltonian. This set of commuting plaquette operators leads to an exact vanishing of the spin-spin correlation functions, beyond nearest neighbor separation, found earlier for the spin-1/2 model [G. Baskaran, S. Mandal and R. Shankar, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 247201 (2007)]. We introduce a generalized Jordan-Wigner transformation for the case of general spin-S, and find a complete set of commuting link operators, similar to the spin-1/2 model, thereby making the Z_2 gauge structure more manifest. The Jordan-Wigner construction also leads, in a natural fashion, to Majorana fermion operators for half-integer spin cases and hard-core boson operators for integer spin cases, strongly suggesting the presence of Majorana fermion and boson excitations in the respective low energy sectors. Comment: 9 pages including 4 figures; added a section on an exactly solvable higher spin version of the Kitaev model; this is the published version06/2008; -
Article: Symmetry breaking by the sea of Dirac-Landau levels in graphene
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ABSTRACT: The quantum Hall states of graphene have a filled Dirac sea of Landau levels. The short ranged SU(4) symmetry breaking interactions can induce a staggered polarization of the sea of Dirac-Landau levels. We study this effect in the extended Hubbard model on a honeycomb lattice using mean field variational wavefunctions. We find a valley symmetry broken, anti-ferromagnetic spin ordered phase at $\nu=\pm 1$ when the on-site interaction is dominant. Our mean field solution is consistent with the recently reported experimental results of Z. Jiang et. al.\cite{jiang}07/2007; -
Article: Exact results for spin dynamics and fractionalization in the Kitaev Model.
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ABSTRACT: We present certain exact analytical results for dynamical spin correlation functions in the Kitaev Model. It is the first result of its kind in nontrivial quantum spin models. The result is also novel: in spite of the presence of gapless propagating Majorana fermion excitations, dynamical two spin correlation functions are identically zero beyond nearest neighbor separation. This shows existence of a gapless but short range spin liquid. An unusual, all energy scale fractionalization of a spin-flip quanta, into two infinitely massive pi fluxes and a dynamical Majorana fermion, is shown to occur. As the Kitaev Model exemplifies topological quantum computation, our result presents new insights into qubit dynamics and generation of topological excitations.Physical Review Letters 07/2007; 98(24):247201. · 7.37 Impact Factor -
Article: Novel electric field effects on Landau levels in graphene.
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ABSTRACT: A new effect in graphene in the presence of crossed uniform electric and magnetic fields is predicted. Landau levels are shown to be modified in an unexpected fashion by the electric field, leading to a collapse of the spectrum, when the value of electric to magnetic field ratio exceeds a certain critical value. Our theoretical results, strikingly different from the standard 2D electron gas, are explained using a "Lorentz boost," and as an "instability of a relativistic quantum field vacuum." It is a remarkable case of emergent relativistic type phenomena in nonrelativistic graphene. We also discuss few possible experimental consequence.Physical Review Letters 04/2007; 98(11):116802. · 7.37 Impact Factor -
Article: Exact results for spin dynamics and fractionization in the Kitaev Model
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ABSTRACT: We present certain exact analytical results for dynamical spin correlation functions in the Kitaev Model. It is the first result of its kind in non-trivial quantum spin models. The result is also novel: in spite of presence of gapless propagating Majorana fermion excitations, dynamical two spin correlation functions are identically zero beyond nearest neighbor separation, showing existence of a gapless but short range spin liquid. An unusual, \emph{all energy scale fractionization}of a spin -flip quanta, into two infinitely massive $\pi$-fluxes and a dynamical Majorana fermion, is shown to occur. As the Kitaev Model exemplifies topological quantum computation, our result presents new insights into qubit dynamics and generation of topological excitations. Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Typose corrected, figure made better, clarifying statements and references added11/2006;
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Institutions
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2007–2008
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The Institute of Mathematical Sciences
Chennai, State of Tamil Nadu, India
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