Physics (Internal)

Coupled spin-1/2 ladders as microscopic models for non-Abelian chiral spin liquids

This event is part of the Condensed Matter Theory Seminar Series.

Topologically ordered states of matter have attracted a much interest in the past decade. The search for emergent point-like non-Abelian anyons in two-dimensional electronic system is one of the most exciting problems in condensed matter physics, since it opens many possibilities in quantum computing. In this talk, I will construct a two- dimensional lattice model that is argued to realize a chiral spin liquid with Ising topological order. The logic of the construction is to prepare an array of one-dimensional spin ladders with Ising criticality, then couple them into the two-dimensional chiral spin liquid with spin-spin interactions that breaks time-reversal symmetry. This coupled wire construction takes advantage of describing the one-dimensional spin system by conformal field theory. I will discuss mainly the theoretical proposal while provide some numerical evidence to support it.