Fractionalization of holographic Fermi surfaces. (English) Zbl 1254.83013
Summary: Zero temperature states of matter at finite charge density are holographically described by a spacetime with an asymptotic electric flux. This flux can be sourced either by explicit charged matter fields in the bulk, by an extremal black hole horizon, or by a combination of the two. We refer to these as mesonic, fully fractionalized and partially fractionalized phases of matter, respectively. By coupling a charged fluid of fermions to an asymptotically AdS\(_{4}\) Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory, we exhibit quantum phase transitions between all three of these phases. The onset of fractionalization can be either a first order or continuous phase transition. In the latter case, at the quantum critical point the theory displays an emergent Lifshitz scaling symmetry in the IR.
MSC:
83C22 | Einstein-Maxwell equations |
83C57 | Black holes |
80A10 | Classical and relativistic thermodynamics |
83C05 | Einstein’s equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) |
81T30 | String and superstring theories; other extended objects (e.g., branes) in quantum field theory |
81T15 | Perturbative methods of renormalization applied to problems in quantum field theory |