Phase transitions in coupled Ising chains and SO($N$)-symmetric spin chains

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Fuji, Yohei, Capponi, Sylvain, Devos, Lukas, Lecheminant, Philippe
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2026
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author Fuji, Yohei
Capponi, Sylvain
Devos, Lukas
Lecheminant, Philippe
author_facet Fuji, Yohei
Capponi, Sylvain
Devos, Lukas
Lecheminant, Philippe
contents We investigate the nature of quantum phase transitions in a (1+1)-dimensional field theory composed of $N$ copies of the Ising conformal field theory interacting via competing relevant perturbations. The field theory governs the competition between a mass term and an interaction involving the product of $N$ order-parameter fields, which is realized, e.g. in coupled Ising chains, two-leg spin ladders, and SO($N$)-symmetric spin chains. By combining a perturbative renormalization group analysis and large-scale matrix-product state simulations, we systematically determine the nature of the phase transition as a function of $N$. For $N=2$ and $N=3$, we confirm that the transition is continuous, belonging to the Ising and four-state Potts universality classes, respectively. In contrast, for $N \ge 4$, our results provide compelling evidence that the transition becomes first order. We further apply these findings to specific lattice models with SO($N$) symmetry, including spin-$1/2$ and spin-$1$ two-leg ladders, that realize a direct transition between an SO($N$) symmetry-protected topological phase and a trivial phase. Our results refine a recent conjecture regarding the criticality of transitions between SPT phases.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_17029
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Phase transitions in coupled Ising chains and SO($N$)-symmetric spin chains
Fuji, Yohei
Capponi, Sylvain
Devos, Lukas
Lecheminant, Philippe
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Statistical Mechanics
We investigate the nature of quantum phase transitions in a (1+1)-dimensional field theory composed of $N$ copies of the Ising conformal field theory interacting via competing relevant perturbations. The field theory governs the competition between a mass term and an interaction involving the product of $N$ order-parameter fields, which is realized, e.g. in coupled Ising chains, two-leg spin ladders, and SO($N$)-symmetric spin chains. By combining a perturbative renormalization group analysis and large-scale matrix-product state simulations, we systematically determine the nature of the phase transition as a function of $N$. For $N=2$ and $N=3$, we confirm that the transition is continuous, belonging to the Ising and four-state Potts universality classes, respectively. In contrast, for $N \ge 4$, our results provide compelling evidence that the transition becomes first order. We further apply these findings to specific lattice models with SO($N$) symmetry, including spin-$1/2$ and spin-$1$ two-leg ladders, that realize a direct transition between an SO($N$) symmetry-protected topological phase and a trivial phase. Our results refine a recent conjecture regarding the criticality of transitions between SPT phases.
title Phase transitions in coupled Ising chains and SO($N$)-symmetric spin chains
topic Strongly Correlated Electrons
Statistical Mechanics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.17029