Phase diagram of an extended quantum dimer model on the hexagonal lattice

Thiago Schlittler (1) , Thomas Barthel (2, 3) , Grégoire Misguich (4) , Julien Vidal (1) , Rémy Mosseri (1)

1 LPTMC - Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de la Matière Condensée
2 LPTMS - Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Modèles Statistiques
3 Duke University [Durham]
4 IPHT - Institut de Physique Théorique - UMR CNRS 3681

We introduce a quantum dimer model on the hexagonal lattice that, in addition to the standard three-dimer kinetic and potential terms, includes a competing potential part counting dimer-free hexagons. The zero-temperature phase diagram is studied by means of quantum Monte Carlo simulations , supplemented by variational arguments. It reveals some new crystalline phases and a cascade of transitions with rapidly changing flux (tilt in the height language). We analyze perturbatively the vicinity of the Rokhsar-Kivelson point, showing that this model has the microscopic ingredients needed for the " devil's staircase " scenario [E. Fradkin et al. Phys. Rev. B 69, 224415 (2004)], and is therefore expected to produce fractal variations of the ground-state flux.

Domaines: Matière Condensée [cond-mat]; Electrons fortement corrélés [cond-mat.str-el]

Thiago Schlittler, Thomas Barthel, Grégoire Misguich, Julien Vidal, Rémy Mosseri. Phase diagram of an extended quantum dimer model on the hexagonal lattice. Physical Review Letters, 2015, 115, pp.217202. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.217202⟩. ⟨cea-01233638⟩