Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 075124 |
| Journal | Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics |
| Volume | 83 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
We analyze the toric code model in the presence of quenched disorder, which is introduced via different types of random magnetic fields. In general, close to a quantum phase transition between a spin polarized phase and a topologically ordered one, we find that increasing the amount of disorder favors the topological phase. For some realizations of disorder, topological order can be robust against arbitrarily strong magnetic fields. In the case of the toric code in a random ±h field, we show that the system exhibits a quantum phase transition to a spin-glass phase in an appropriate dual variables description. The survival of topological order in the spin-glass phase is directly related to the percolation properties of the rigid lattice in the Edwards-Anderson bimodal spin-glass model. According to recent numerical results for this model, it is likely that the rigid lattice does not percolate and, as a result, a new intermediate quantum phase appears in the random-field toric code. In this intermediate quantum phase, topological order coexists with spin glassiness.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Materials Science(all)
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Condensed Matter Physics
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In: Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 83, No. 7, 075124, 28.02.2011.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Interplay of topological order and spin glassiness in the toric code under random magnetic fields
AU - Tsomokos, Dimitris I.
AU - Osborne, Tobias J.
AU - Castelnovo, Claudio
PY - 2011/2/28
Y1 - 2011/2/28
N2 - We analyze the toric code model in the presence of quenched disorder, which is introduced via different types of random magnetic fields. In general, close to a quantum phase transition between a spin polarized phase and a topologically ordered one, we find that increasing the amount of disorder favors the topological phase. For some realizations of disorder, topological order can be robust against arbitrarily strong magnetic fields. In the case of the toric code in a random ±h field, we show that the system exhibits a quantum phase transition to a spin-glass phase in an appropriate dual variables description. The survival of topological order in the spin-glass phase is directly related to the percolation properties of the rigid lattice in the Edwards-Anderson bimodal spin-glass model. According to recent numerical results for this model, it is likely that the rigid lattice does not percolate and, as a result, a new intermediate quantum phase appears in the random-field toric code. In this intermediate quantum phase, topological order coexists with spin glassiness.
AB - We analyze the toric code model in the presence of quenched disorder, which is introduced via different types of random magnetic fields. In general, close to a quantum phase transition between a spin polarized phase and a topologically ordered one, we find that increasing the amount of disorder favors the topological phase. For some realizations of disorder, topological order can be robust against arbitrarily strong magnetic fields. In the case of the toric code in a random ±h field, we show that the system exhibits a quantum phase transition to a spin-glass phase in an appropriate dual variables description. The survival of topological order in the spin-glass phase is directly related to the percolation properties of the rigid lattice in the Edwards-Anderson bimodal spin-glass model. According to recent numerical results for this model, it is likely that the rigid lattice does not percolate and, as a result, a new intermediate quantum phase appears in the random-field toric code. In this intermediate quantum phase, topological order coexists with spin glassiness.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79961050094&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.83.075124
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.83.075124
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79961050094
VL - 83
JO - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
JF - Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
SN - 1098-0121
IS - 7
M1 - 075124
ER -