Numerical Study of the One-Dimensional Spin-Orbit Coupled System with SU(2) ⊗SU(2) Symmetry

Abstract

We numerically study the SU(2)$\otimes$SU(2) symmetric spin-orbit coupled model as a lower symmetric generalization of the SU(4) exchange model. On the symmetric line with respect to the spin and orbit, our result shows the essentially singular gap formation in consistent with the analytic approach, which is different from the previous numerical calculation. Furthermore, we find new critical phases around the SU(4) point, surrounding the previously known gapless symmetric line. In these novel phases either spin or orbital excitations around momentum $q=\pi$ form massless continua which split from the excitations belonging to the $[2^2]$ irreducible representation at the SU(4) point. On the critical symmetric line, the additional coupled spin-orbit excitations around $q=\pi/2$ originating from [$2^11^2$] become critical, too.