Breakdown of a topological phase: Quantum phase transition in a loop gas model with tension

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dc.creatorTrebst, Simon
dc.creatorWerner, Philipp
dc.creatorTroyer, Matthias
dc.creatorShtengel, Kirill
dc.creatorNayak, Chetan
dc.date2006-09-03
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T12:08:21Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T12:08:21Z
dc.descriptionWe study the stability of topological order against local perturbations by considering the effect of a magnetic field on a spin model -- the toric code -- which is in a topological phase. The model can be mapped onto a quantum loop gas where the perturbation introduces a bare loop tension. When the loop tension is small, the topological order survives. When it is large, it drives a continuous quantum phase transition into a magnetic state. The transition can be understood as the condensation of `magnetic' vortices, leading to confinement of the elementary `charge' excitations. We also show how the topological order breaks down when the system is coupled to an Ohmic heat bath and discuss our results in the context of quantum computation applications.
dc.description5 pages, 7 figures
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0609048
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0609048
dc.identifierPhys. Rev. Lett. 98, 070602 (2007).
dc.identifierdoi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.070602
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/209288
dc.subjectStatistical Mechanics
dc.subjectStrongly Correlated Electrons
dc.subjectHigh Energy Physics - Lattice
dc.subjectQuantum Physics
dc.titleBreakdown of a topological phase: Quantum phase transition in a loop gas model with tension
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