Triangular lattice quantum dimer model with variable dimer density

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 5799 - 7
• Main Authors: Yan, Zheng, Samajdar, Rhine, Wang, Yan-Cheng, Sachdev, Subir, Meng, Zi Yang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 02.10.2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/766/119/2792; 639/766/483/3926; Broken symmetry; CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; Density; Dimers; Gauge theory; Humanities and Social Sciences; Liquid phases; Monte Carlo simulation; multidisciplinary; Nematic crystals; Phase diagrams; quantum simulation; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Simulation; Spin liquid; Symmetry; topological matter; Topology
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33431-5

Quantum dimer models are known to host topological quantum spin liquid phases, and it has recently become possible to simulate such models with Rydberg atoms trapped in arrays of optical tweezers. Here, we present large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulation results on an extension of the triangular lattice quantum dimer model with terms in the Hamiltonian annihilating and creating single dimers. We find distinct odd and even Z 2 spin liquids, along with several phases with no topological order: a staggered crystal, a nematic phase, and a trivial symmetric phase with no obvious broken symmetry. We also present dynamic spectra of the phases, and note implications for experiments on Rydberg atoms. Quantum dimer models are known to host topological quantum spin liquid phases, and it has recently become possible to simulate related Z 2 gauge theories with Rydberg atoms. Yan et al. compute the phase diagram of an experimentally motivated quantum dimer model on a triangular lattice with fluctuating dimer density.