Unnecessary quantum criticality in $SU (3)$ kagome magnets, by Yunchao Zhang, Xue-Yang Song, Todadri Senthil

SciPost Physics Home Authoring Refereeing Submit a manuscript About Unnecessary quantum criticality in $SU (3)$ kagome magnets Yunchao Zhang, Xue-Yang Song, Todadri Senthil SciPost Phys. 20, 082 (2026) · published 11 March 2026 doi: 10.21468/SciPostPhys.20.3.082 pdf BiBTeX RIS Submissions/Reports Abstract Algebraic/Dirac spin liquids (DSLs) are a class of critical quantum ground states that do not have a quasi-particle description. DSLs and related spin liquid phases often arise in strongly frustrated quantum spin systems, in which strong correlations and quantum fluctuations among constituent spins persist down to zero temperature. In this work, we analyze Mott insulating phases of $SU(3)$ fermions on a kagome lattice which may realize a DSL phase, described at low energies by $(2 + 1)d$ quantum electrodynamics (QED$_3$) with $N_f=6$ Dirac fermions. By analyzing the action of physical symmetries on the operators of the QED$_3$ theory, we conclude that the low energy DSL is a quantum critical point that can be accessed by tuning a single microscopic parameter. Aided by the emergent symmetry and anomalies of the low energy effective theory, we conjecture and present supporting arguments that the $SU(3)$ Kagome magnet DSL is an unnecessary quantum critical point, lying completely within a single phase. × TY - JOURPB - SciPost FoundationDO - 10.21468/SciPostPhys.20.3.082TI - Unnecessary quantum criticality in $SU (3)$ kagome magnetsPY - 2026/03/11UR - https://scipost.org/SciPostPhys.20.3.082JF - SciPost PhysicsJA - SciPost Phys.VL - 20IS - 3SP - 082A1 - Zhang, YunchaoAU - Song, Xue-YangAU - Senthil, TodadriAB - Algebraic/Dirac spin liquids (DSLs) are a class of critical quantum ground states that do not have a quasi-particle description. DSLs and related spin liquid phases often arise in strongly frustrated quantum spin systems, in which strong correlations and quantum fluctuations among constituent spins persist down to zero temperature. In this work, we analyze Mott insulating phases of $SU(3)$ fermions on a kagome lattice which may realize a DSL phase, described at low energies by $(2 + 1)d$ quantum electrodynamics (QED$_3$) with $N_f=6$ Dirac fermions. By analyzing the action of physical symmetries on the operators of the QED$_3$ theory, we conclude that the low energy DSL is a quantum critical point that can be accessed by tuning a single microscopic parameter. Aided by the emergent symmetry and anomalies of the low energy effective theory, we conjecture and present supporting arguments that the $SU(3)$ Kagome magnet DSL is an unnecessary quantum critical point, lying completely within a single phase.ER - × @Article{10.21468/SciPostPhys.20.3.082, title={{Unnecessary quantum criticality in $SU (3)$ kagome magnets}}, author={Yunchao Zhang and Xue-Yang Song and Todadri Senthil}, journal={SciPost Phys.}, volume={20}, pages={082}, year={2026}, publisher={SciPost}, doi={10.21468/SciPostPhys.20.3.082}, url={https://scipost.org/10.21468/SciPostPhys.20.3.082},} Ontology / Topics See full Ontology or Topics database. 't Hooft anomalies Quantum criticality Quantum electrodynamics (QED) Quantum phase transitions Spin liquids Authors / Affiliations: mappings to Contributors and Organizations See all Organizations. 1 Yunchao Zhang, 2 Xue-Yang Song, 1 Todadri Senthil 1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology [MIT] 2 香港科技大学 / Hong Kong University of Science and Technology [HKUST] Funders for the research work leading to this publication Croucher Foundation National Science Foundation [NSF]