We introduce a quantum dimer model on the hexagonal lattice that, in addition to the standard three-dimer kinetic and potential terms, includes a competing potential part counting dimer-free hexagons. The zero-temperature phase diagram is studied by means of quantum Monte Carlo simulations, supplemented by variational arguments. It reveals some new crystalline phases and a cascade of transitions with rapidly changing flux (tilt in the height language). We analyze perturbatively the vicinity of the Rokhsar-Kivelson point, showing that this model has the microscopic ingredients needed for the "devil's staircase" scenario [E. Fradkin et al., Phys. Rev. B 69, 224415 (2004)], and is therefore expected to produce fractal variations of the ground-state flux.
@article{arxiv.1507.04643,
title = {Phase diagram of an extended quantum dimer model on the hexagonal lattice},
author = {T. M. Schlittler and T. Barthel and G. Misguich and J. Vidal and R. Mosseri},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1507.04643},
year = {2015}
}
Comments
Published version. 5 pages + 8 (Supplemental Material), 31 references, 10 color figures