Harvard University

Abstract：

Resonating valence bond (RVB) states describe one of the most extreme classes of quantum phases that feature emergent gauge fields at low energy. Since this concept was revived by Anderson in 1973 in the spin physics context, the pursuits of such phases have been mostly restricted to frustrated antiferromagnets. In this talk, I will introduce an entirely different route to the possible realization of such phases, which builds on phonon degrees of freedom on lattice bonds – roughly realizing the original intuitive depiction of RVB by Pauling in 1949. I will provide (at least) two explicit minimal models as caricatures of certain types of electron-phonon couplings, where it can be shown with asymptotically exact arguments that deconfined gauge fields emerge in certain strong coupling regimes of their phase diagrams. Particularly I will show that such phases can appear in electronically trivial 'band insulators' proximate to ferroelectric ordering.

[1] ZH, S. Kivelson. arXiv: 2405.17539

[2] ZH, S. Kivelson. Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 186404 (2023)

Brief CV of Dr. Zhaoyu Han:

Zhaoyu Han is a postdoctoral fellow in condensed matter theory at Harvard University. He earned his PhD from Stanford University in 2024 and BS from Peking University in 2018. His current research interests span strongly coupled electron-phonon systems, topological phases and transitions, and flat band materials.

腾讯会议ID: 838-194-182

会议密码：0620

主持人：王磊 研究员

联系人：傅琦（82649469）