Constraints on topological order in Mott insulators

Michael P. Zaletel, Ashvin Vishwanath

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

We point out certain symmetry induced constraints on topological order in Mott insulators (quantum magnets with an odd number of spin 12 moments per unit cell). We show, for example, that the double-semion topological order is incompatible with time reversal and translation symmetry in Mott insulators. This sharpens the Hastings-Oshikawa-Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem for 2D quantum magnets, which guarantees that a fully symmetric gapped Mott insulator must be topologically ordered, but is silent about which topological order is permitted. Our result applies to the kagome lattice quantum antiferromagnet, where recent numerical calculations of the entanglement entropy indicate a ground state compatible with either toric code or double-semion topological order. Our result rules out the latter possibility.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number077201
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume114
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 18 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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