Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum transition in 2 dimensions

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Main Authors: Diamantini, M. C., Trugenberger, C. A., Vinokur, V. M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Diamantini, M. C.
Trugenberger, C. A.
Vinokur, V. M.
author_facet Diamantini, M. C.
Trugenberger, C. A.
Vinokur, V. M.
contents The Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition is the prototype of a phase transition driven by the formation and interaction of topological defects in two-dimensional (2D) systems. In typical models these are vortices: above a transition temperature $T_{\rm BKT}$ vortices are free, below this transition temperature they get confined. In this work we extend the concept of BKT transition to quantum systems in two dimensions. In particular, we demonstrate that a zero-temperature quantum BKT phase transition, driven by a coupling constant can occur in 2D models governed by an effective gauge field theory with a diverging dielectric constant. One particular example is that of a compact U(1) gauge theory with a diverging dielectric constant, where the quantum BKT transition is induced by non-relativistic, purely 2D magnetic monopoles, which can be viewed also as electric vortices. These quantum BKT transitions have the same diverging exponent $z$ as the quantum Griffiths transition but have nothing to do with disorder.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_06682
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum transition in 2 dimensions
Diamantini, M. C.
Trugenberger, C. A.
Vinokur, V. M.
Superconductivity
High Energy Physics - Theory
The Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transition is the prototype of a phase transition driven by the formation and interaction of topological defects in two-dimensional (2D) systems. In typical models these are vortices: above a transition temperature $T_{\rm BKT}$ vortices are free, below this transition temperature they get confined. In this work we extend the concept of BKT transition to quantum systems in two dimensions. In particular, we demonstrate that a zero-temperature quantum BKT phase transition, driven by a coupling constant can occur in 2D models governed by an effective gauge field theory with a diverging dielectric constant. One particular example is that of a compact U(1) gauge theory with a diverging dielectric constant, where the quantum BKT transition is induced by non-relativistic, purely 2D magnetic monopoles, which can be viewed also as electric vortices. These quantum BKT transitions have the same diverging exponent $z$ as the quantum Griffiths transition but have nothing to do with disorder.
title Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless quantum transition in 2 dimensions
topic Superconductivity
High Energy Physics - Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06682