Published November 15, 2010 | Version v1
Journal article

Non-mean-field quantum critical points from holography

  • 1. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom)
  • 2. Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1560 (United States)

Description

We construct a class of quantum critical points with non-mean-field critical exponents via holography. Our approach is phenomenological. Beginning with the D3/D5 system at nonzero density and magnetic field which has a chiral phase transition, we simulate the addition of a third control parameter. We then identify a line of quantum critical points in the phase diagram of this theory, provided that the simulated control parameter has dimension less than two. This line smoothly interpolates between a second-order transition with mean-field exponents at zero magnetic field to a holographic Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition at larger magnetic fields. The critical exponents of these transitions only depend upon the parameters of an emergent infrared theory. Moreover, the non-mean-field scaling is destroyed at any nonzero temperature. We discuss how generic these transitions are.

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
Journal Volume
82
Journal Issue
10
Journal Page Range
p. 105012-105012.15
ISSN
0556-2821
CODEN
PRVDAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
42095832
Subject category
S75: CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
CHIRALITY; DENSITY; HOLOGRAPHY; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MEAN-FIELD THEORY; PHASE DIAGRAMS; PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS; SIMULATION
Descriptors DEC
DIAGRAMS; INFORMATION; PARTICLE PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2010 American Institute of Physics