Finite-Size Spectral Signatures of Order by Quantum Disorder: A Perspective from Anderson's Tower of States

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Khatua, Subhankar, Howson, Griffin C., Gingras, Michel J. P., Rau, Jeffrey G.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Khatua, Subhankar
Howson, Griffin C.
Gingras, Michel J. P.
Rau, Jeffrey G.
author_facet Khatua, Subhankar
Howson, Griffin C.
Gingras, Michel J. P.
Rau, Jeffrey G.
contents In frustrated magnetic systems with a subextensive number of classical ground states, quantum zero-point fluctuations can select a unique long-range ordered state, a celebrated phenomenon referred to as \emph{order by quantum disorder} (ObQD). For frustrated spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ models, unbiased numerical methods able to expose ObQD are necessary. We show that ObQD can be identified from exact diagonalization (ED) calculations through an analysis akin to the Anderson tower of states associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking. By defining an effective quantum rotor model, we describe the competition between ObQD-induced localization of the rotor and its tunneling between symmetry-related ground states, identifying the crossover lengthscale from the finite-size regime where the rotor is delocalized, to the infinite system-size limit where it becomes localized. This rotor model relates the characteristic splittings in the ED energy spectrum to the ObQD selection energy scale, providing an estimate that can be compared to spin wave calculations. We demonstrate the general applicability of this approach in one-, two- and three-dimensional frustrated spin models that exhibit ObQD.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_10610
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Finite-Size Spectral Signatures of Order by Quantum Disorder: A Perspective from Anderson's Tower of States
Khatua, Subhankar
Howson, Griffin C.
Gingras, Michel J. P.
Rau, Jeffrey G.
Strongly Correlated Electrons
In frustrated magnetic systems with a subextensive number of classical ground states, quantum zero-point fluctuations can select a unique long-range ordered state, a celebrated phenomenon referred to as \emph{order by quantum disorder} (ObQD). For frustrated spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ models, unbiased numerical methods able to expose ObQD are necessary. We show that ObQD can be identified from exact diagonalization (ED) calculations through an analysis akin to the Anderson tower of states associated with spontaneous symmetry breaking. By defining an effective quantum rotor model, we describe the competition between ObQD-induced localization of the rotor and its tunneling between symmetry-related ground states, identifying the crossover lengthscale from the finite-size regime where the rotor is delocalized, to the infinite system-size limit where it becomes localized. This rotor model relates the characteristic splittings in the ED energy spectrum to the ObQD selection energy scale, providing an estimate that can be compared to spin wave calculations. We demonstrate the general applicability of this approach in one-, two- and three-dimensional frustrated spin models that exhibit ObQD.
title Finite-Size Spectral Signatures of Order by Quantum Disorder: A Perspective from Anderson's Tower of States
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.10610