Instanton Phase Research Articles

Super Universality of the Quantum Hall Effect and the “Large N Picture” of the ϑ Angle

It is shown that the "massless chiral edge excitations" are an integral and universal aspect of the low energy dynamics of the $\vartheta$ vacuum that has historically gone unnoticed. Within the $SU(M+N)/S(U(M) \times U(N))$ non-linear sigma model we introduce an effective theory of "edge excitations" that fundamentally explains the quantum Hall effect. In sharp contrast to the common beliefs in the field our results indicate that this macroscopic quantization phenomenon is, in fact, a {\em super universal} strong coupling feature of the $\vartheta$ angle with the replica limit $M=N=0$ only playing a role of secondary importance. To demonstrate super universality we revisit the large $N$ expansion of the $CP^{N-1}$ model. We obtain, for the first time, explicit scaling results for the quantum Hall effect including quantum criticality of the quantum Hall plateau transition. Consequently a scaling diagram is obtained describing the cross-over between the weak coupling "instanton phase" and the strong coupling "quantum Hall phase" of the large $N$ theory. Our results are in accordance with the "instanton picture" of the $\vartheta$ angle but fundamentally invalidate all the ideas, expectations and conjectures that are based on the historical "large $N$ picture."

Superconductivity emerging near U(1) topological critical point and the strange metal phase in cuprates

Topological excitations are examined to establish an effective theory of the superconducting state evolving from the Mott insulator in high- T c cuprates. We emphasise the Coulomb interaction U that is governed by the electromagnetic U(1) compact group. The results are obtained for the layered t− t′− t ⊥− U− J system of strongly correlated electrons relevant for cuprates. We exploit the U(1) instanton phase field configurations for the cuprate phase diagram which displays the “hidden” quantum critical point covered by the superconducting lobe in addition to a sharp crossover between a compressible normal “strange metal” state and a region characterized by a vanishing compressibility, which marks the Mott insulator. The existence of robust topological quantum numbers explains the stability against small perturbation of the system and attributes to the topological “quantum protectorate” as observed in strongly correlated systems.

Critical charge instability on the verge of the Mott transition and the origin of quantum protection in high-Tccuprates

The concept of topological excitations and the related ground state degeneracy are employed to establish an effective theory of the superconducting state evolving from the Mott insulator for high-${T}_{c}$ cuprates. The theory includes the effects of the relevant energy scales with the emphasis on the Coulomb interaction $U$ governed by the electromagnetic U(1) compact group. The results are obtained for the layered $t\ensuremath{-}{t}^{\ensuremath{'}}\ensuremath{-}{t}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}\ensuremath{-}U\ensuremath{-}J$ system of strongly correlated electrons relevant for cuprates. Casting the Coulomb interaction in terms of composite-fermions via the gauge flux attachment facility, we show that instanton events in the Matsubara ``imaginary time,'' labeled by topological winding numbers, are essential configurations of the phase field dual to the charge. This provides a nonperturbative concept of the topological quantization and displays the significance of discrete topological sectors in the theory governed by the global characteristics of the phase field. We show that for topologically ordered states these quantum numbers play the role of an order parameter in a way similar to the Landau order parameter for conventionally ordered states. In analogy to the usual phase transition that is characterized by a sudden change of the symmetry, the topological phase transitions are governed by a discontinuous change of the topological numbers signaled by the divergence of the zero-temperature topological susceptibility. This defines a quantum criticality ruled by topologically conserved numbers rather than the Landau principle of the symmetry breaking. We show that in the limit of strong correlations topological charge is linked to the average electronic filling number and the topological susceptibility to the electronic compressibility of the system. We exploit the impact of these nontrivial U(1) instanton phase field configurations for the cuprate phase diagram which displays the ``hidden'' quantum critical point covered by the superconducting lobe in addition to a sharp crossover between a compressible normal ``strange metal'' state and a region characterized by a vanishing compressibility, which marks the Mott insulator. Finally, we argue that the existence of robust quantum numbers explains the stability against small perturbation of the system and attributes to the topological ``quantum protectorate'' as observed in strongly correlated systems.

The dynamics of small instanton phase transitions

The small instanton transition of a five-brane colliding with one end of the S1/Z2 interval in heterotic M-theory is discussed, with emphasis on the transition moduli, their potential function and the associated non-perturbative superpotential. Using numerical methods, the equations of motion of these moduli coupled to an expanding Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime are solved including non-perturbative interactions. It is shown that the five-brane collides with the end of the interval at a small instanton. However, the moduli then continue to evolve to an isolated minimum of the potential, where they are trapped by gravitational damping. The torsion free sheaf at the small instanton is ``smoothed out'' into a vector bundle at the isolated minimum, thus dynamically completing the small instanton phase transition. Radiative damping at the origin of moduli space is discussed and shown to be insufficient to trap the moduli at the small instanton point.

On the chaos of D-brane phase transitions

We study small instanton (and brane recombination) phase transitions in phenomenological models built with D-branes. By explicitly describing the cosmological dynamics of the moduli and matter fields, we show that these transitions do not occur smoothly, but are typically chaotic with the gauge group of the low energy theory fluctuating in time. We comment on the potential implications for cosmological questions such as inflation.

Classical resolution of singularities in dilaton cosmologies

For models of dilaton gravity with a possible exponential potential, such as the tensor–scalar sector of IIA supergravity, we show how cosmological solutions correspond to trajectories in a 2D Milne space (parametrized by the dilaton and the scale factor). Cosmological singularities correspond to points at which a trajectory meets the Milne horizon, but the trajectories can be smoothly continued through the horizon to an instanton solution of the Euclidean theory. We find some exact cosmology/instanton solutions that lift to black holes in one higher dimension. For one such solution, the singularities of a big crunch to big bang transition mediated by an instanton phase lift to the black hole and cosmological horizons of de Sitter Schwarzschild spacetimes.

Instanton moduli in string theory

Expressions for the number of moduli of arbitrary SU(n) vector bundles constructed via Fourier-Mukai transforms of spectral data over Calabi- Yau threefolds are derived and presented. This is done within the context of simply connected, elliptic Calabi-Yau threefolds with base Fr, but the methods have wider applicability. The condition for a vector bundle to possess the minimal number of moduli for fixed r and n is discussed and an explicit formula for the minimal number of moduli is presented. In addition, transition moduli for small instanton phase transitions involving non-positive spectral covers are defined, enumerated and given a geometrical interpretation.

Superpotentials for vector bundle moduli

We present a method for explicitly computing the non-perturbative superpotentials associated with the vector bundle moduli in heterotic superstrings and M-theory. This method is applicable to any stable, holomorphic vector bundle over an elliptically fibered Calabi–Yau threefold. For specificity, the vector bundle moduli superpotential, for a vector bundle with structure group G= SU(3), generated by a heterotic superstring wrapped once over an isolated curve in a Calabi–Yau threefold with base B= F 1 , is explicitly calculated. Its locus of critical points is discussed. Superpotentials of vector bundle moduli potentially have important implications for small instanton phase transitions and the vacuum stability and cosmology of superstrings and M-theory.

Vector Bundle Moduli and Small Instanton Transitions

We give the general presciption for calculating the moduli of irreducible, stable SU(n) holomorphic vector bundles with positive spectral covers over elliptically fibered Calabi-Yau threefolds. Explicit results are presented for Hirzebruch base surfaces B=F_r. The transition moduli that are produced by chirality changing small instanton phase transitions are defined and specifically enumerated. The origin of these moduli, as the deformations of the spectral cover restricted to the ``lift'' of the horizontal curve of the M5-brane, is discussed. We present an alternative description of the transition moduli as the sections of rank n holomorphic vector bundles over the M5-brane curve and give explicit examples. Vector bundle moduli appear as gauge singlet scalar fields in the effective low-energy actions of heterotic superstrings and heterotic M-theory.

Small instanton transitions in heterotic M-theory

We discuss non-perturbative phase transitions, within the context of heterotic M-theory, which occur when all, or part, of the wrapped five-branes in the five-dimensional bulk space come into direct contact with a boundary brane. These transitions involve the transformation of the five-brane into a ``small instanton'' on the Calabi-Yau space at the boundary brane, followed by the ``smoothing out'' of the small instanton into a holomorphic vector bundle. Small instanton phase transitions change the number of families, the gauge group or both on the boundary brane, depending upon whether a base component, fiber component or both components of the five-brane class are involved in the transition. We compute the conditions under which a small instanton phase transition can occur and present a number of explicit, phenomenologically relevant examples.