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Results for “Higher Spin Symmetry”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Constraints on long-range forces in de Sitter space

The representation theory of de Sitter space admits partially massless (PM) particles, but whether such particles can participate in consistent interacting theories remains unclear. We investigate the consistency of theories containing PM fields, particularly when these fields are coupled to gravity. Our strategy exploits the fact that PM fields correspond to partially conserved currents on the spacetime boundary, which generate symmetries. These symmetries place stringent constraints on correlation functions of charged operators, allowing us to test the consistency of a proposed bulk spectrum. When the assumed operator content violates these constraints, the corresponding bulk theory is ruled out. Applying this framework, we show that, in four-dimensional de Sitter space, PM fields of spin 2 or 3 (at depth 0) cannot couple consistently to gravity: such couplings necessitate additional massive fields, which are inevitably non-unitary. In higher dimensions, however, the constraints can be satisfied without violating unitarity if further PM fields are included. The resulting structure leads to additional charge conservation laws, which suggests that consistency may ultimately require an infinite tower of higher-spin PM fields, akin to the situation for ordinary higher-spin symmetries. The methods developed here provide powerful constraints on possible long-range interactions in de Sitter space and delineate the landscape of consistent quantum field theories in cosmological spacetimes.

AdS-CFT Correspondence↗
DOE OSTI2021

$\mathrm{A}$ $\mathrm{CFT}$ distance conjecture

We formulate a series of conjectures relating the geometry of conformal manifolds to the spectrum of local operators in conformal field theories in d > 2 spacetime dimensions. We focus on conformal manifolds with limiting points at infinite distance with respect to the Zamolodchikov metric. Our central conjecture is that all theories at infinite distance possess an emergent higher-spin symmetry, generated by an infinite tower of currents whose anomalous dimensions vanish exponentially in the distance. Stated geometrically, the diameter of a non-compact conformal manifold must diverge logarithmically in the higher-spin gap. In the holographic context our conjectures are related to the Distance Conjecture in the swampland program. Interpreted gravitationally, they imply that approaching infinite distance in moduli space at fixed AdS radius, a tower of higher-spin fields becomes massless at an exponential rate that is bounded from below in Planck units. We discuss further implications for conformal manifolds of superconformal field theories in three and four dimensions.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Axions, higher-groups, and emergent symmetry

Axions, periodic scalar fields coupled to gauge fields through the instanton density, have a rich variety of higher-form global symmetries. These include a two-form global symmetry, which measures the charge of axion strings. As we review, these symmetries typically combine into a higher-group, a kind of non-abelian structure where symmetries that act on operators of different dimensions, such as points, lines, and strings, are mixed. We use this structure to derive model independent constraints on renormalization group flows that realize theories of axions at long distances. These give universal inequalities on the energy scales where various infrared symmetries emerge. For example, we show that in any UV completion of axion-Yang-Mills, the energy scale at which axion strings can decay is always larger than the mass scale of charged particles.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Shift symmetries for p -forms and mixed symmetry fields on (A)dS

Massive fields on (anti) de Sitter space realize extended shift symmetries at particular values of their masses. We find these symmetries for all bosonic p-forms and mixed symmetry fields, in arbitrary spacetime dimension. These shift symmetric fields correspond to the missing longitudinal modes of mixed symmetry partially massless fields where the top row of the Young tableau is activated.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Scattering amplitudes for all masses and spins

We introduce a formalism for describing four-dimensional scattering amplitudes for particles of any mass and spin. This naturally extends the familiar spinor-helicity formalism for massless particles to one where these variables carry an extra SU(2) little group index for massive particles, with the amplitudes for spin Sparticles transforming as symmetric rank 2S tensors. We systematically characterise all possible three particle amplitudes compatible with Poincare symmetry. Unitarity, in the form of consistent factorization, imposes algebraic conditions that can be used to construct all possible four-particle tree amplitudes. This also gives us a convenient basis in which to expand all possible four-particle amplitudes in terms of what can be called “spinning polynomials”. Many general results of quantum field theory follow the analysis of four-particle scattering, ranging from the set of all possible consistent theories for massless particles, to spin-statistics, and the Weinberg-Witten theorem. We also find a transparent understanding for why massive particles of sufficiently high spin cannot be “elementary”. The Higgs and Super-Higgs mechanisms are naturally discovered as an infrared unification of many disparate helicity amplitudes into a smaller number of massive amplitudes, with a simple understanding for why this can’t be extended to Higgsing for gravitons. We illustrate a number of applications of the formalism at one-loop, giving few-line computations of the electron (g - 2) as well as the beta function and rational terms in QCD. “Off-shell” observables like correlation functions and form-factors can be thought of as scattering amplitudes with external “probe” particles of general mass and spin, so all these objects — amplitudes, form factors and correlators, can be studied from a common on-shell perspective.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

A compendium of sphere path integrals

We study the manifestly covariant and local 1-loop path integrals on S d+1 for general massive, shift-symmetric and (partially) massless totally symmetric tensor fields of arbitrary spin s ≥ 0 in any dimensions d ≥ 2. After reviewing the cases of massless fields with spin s = 1, 2, we provide a detailed derivation for path integrals of massless fields of arbitrary integer spins s ≥ 1. Following the standard procedure of Wick-rotating the negative conformal modes, we find a higher spin analog of Polchinski’s phase for any integer spin s ≥ 2. The derivations for low-spin (s = 0, 1, 2) massive, shift-symmetric and partially massless fields are also carried out explicitly. Finally, we provide general prescriptions for general massive and shift-symmetric fields of arbitrary integer spins and partially massless fields of arbitrary integer spins and depths.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spinor representations for fields with any spin: Lorentz tensor basis for operators and covariant multipole decomposition

This paper discusses a framework to parametrize and decompose operator matrix elements for particles with higher spin (j > 1/2) using chiral representations of the Lorentz group, i.e. the (j, 0) and (0, j) representations and their parity-invariant direct sum. Unlike traditional approaches that require imposing constraints to eliminate spurious degrees of freedom, these chiral representations contain exactly the 2j + 1 components needed to describe a spin-j particle. The central objects in the construction are the t-tensors, which are generalizations of the Pauli four-vector σ μ for higher spin. For the generalized spinors of these representations, we demonstrate how the algebra of the t-tensors allows to formulate a generalization of the Dirac matrix basis for any spin. For on-shell bilinears, we show that a set consisting exclusively of covariant multipoles of order 0 ≤ m ≤ 2j forms a complete basis. We provide explicit expressions for all bilinears of the generalized Dirac matrix basis, which are valid for any spin value. As a byproduct of our derivations we present an efficient algorithm to compute the t-tensor matrix elements. The formalism presented here paves the way to use a more unified approach to analyze the non-perturbative QCD structure of hadrons and nuclei across different spin values, with clear physical interpretation of the resulting distributions as covariant multipoles.

Angular momentum of light↗
DOE OSTI2026

Symmetry, microscopy and spectroscopy signatures of altermagnetism

The recent discovery of altermagnetism was in part motivated by the research of compensated magnets towards highly scalable spintronic technologies. Simultaneously, altermagnetism shares the anisotropic higher-partial-wave nature of ordering with unconventional superfluid phases, which have been at the forefront of research for the past several decades. These examples illustrate the interest in altermagnetism from a broad range of science and technology perspectives. Here we review the symmetry, microscopy and spectroscopy signatures of altermagnetism. We describe the spontaneously broken and retained symmetries that delineate altermagnetism as a distinct phase of matter with d-, g- or i-wave compensated collinear spin ordering. In materials ranging from weakly interacting metals to strongly correlated insulators, the microscopic crystal-structure realizations of the altermagnetic symmetries feature a characteristic ferroic order of anisotropic higher-partial-wave components of atomic-scale spin densities. These symmetry and microscopy signatures of altermagnetism are directly reflected in spin-dependent electronic spectra and responses. Here, we review salient band-structure features originating from the altermagnetic ordering, and from its interplay with spin–orbit coupling and topological phenomena. Throughout, we compare altermagnetism with traditional ferromagnetism and Néel antiferromagnetism, and with magnetic phases with symmetry-protected compensated non-collinear spin orders. We accompany the theoretical discussions with references to relevant experiments.

Jungwirth, Tomas [Czech Academy of Sciences, Pragu↗
DOE OSTI2022

Density functional thermodynamic description of spin, phonon and displacement degrees of freedom in antiferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic phase transition in YNiO 3

This work herein demonstrates a direct density functional description of the finite-temperature thermodynamic properties of solids exhibiting phase transitions through positional and spin symmetry breaking degrees of freedom. A classic example addressed here is the rare-earth (R) nickelates RNiO 3 where the ground state is characterized by crystallographic and magnetic (e.g., antiferromagnetic) long-range order (LRO), whereas the higher temperature paramagnetic phase manifests a range of local spin and positional symmetry breaking motifs with short-range order (SRO). Unlike time-dependent simulations of spin and positional degrees of freedom, in the present work, phases are described via a superposition of static configurations constructed by populating a periodic base lattice supercell allowing for the formation of energy lowing distribution of positional and spin local motifs. The thermal populations of the configurations in such a superposition phase are obtained from the energy-minimized Density Functional Theory (DFT)-calculated partition functions at different temperatures. This approach offers flexible inclusion of different physical contributions to the free energy, such as elastic, electronic and phonon free energies, all obtained from the same underlying DFT total energy calculations of periodic structures. The thermodynamic and magnetic properties of both LRO and SRO crystallographic and spin phases, including antiferromagnetic (AFM) to paramagnetic (PM) Néel phase transition in YNiO3 are studied. Including spin and phonon contributions, we find a DFT-calculated Néel temperature to be 144 K in satisfactory agreement with the experimental value of 145 K; whereas omitting the phonon contribution, one obtains a Néel temperature of 81 K. We present phonon contributions to the DFT-calculated temperature-dependent SRO, heat capacities, and the polymorphous distribution of nonzero local magnetic moments in the PM phase. This approach thus extends to finite temperatures the symmetry-broken DFT description of both the AFM and PM phases, demonstrating that a thermodynamic superposition approach based on symmetry broken configurations evaluated by a mean-field like DFT is sufficient to obtain a consistent description of the thermal physics of the AFM, PM phases and their interconversion in 3d oxides illustrated by YNiO 3 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Symmetry Control of Unconventional Spin–Orbit Torques in IrO 2

Abstract Spin–orbit torques generated by a spin current are key to magnetic switching in spintronic applications. The polarization of the spin current dictates the direction of switching required for energy‐efficient devices. Conventionally, the polarizations of these spin currents are restricted to be along a certain direction due to the symmetry of the material allowing only for efficient in‐plane magnetic switching. Unconventional spin–orbit torques arising from novel spin current polarizations, however, have the potential to switch other magnetization orientations such as perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which is desired for higher density spintronic‐based memory devices. Here, it is demonstrated that low crystalline symmetry is not required for unconventional spin–orbit torques and can be generated in a nonmagnetic high symmetry material, iridium dioxide (IrO 2 ), using epitaxial design. It is shown that by reducing the relative crystalline symmetry with respect to the growth direction large unconventional spin currents can be generated and hence spin–orbit torques. Furthermore, the spin polarizations detected in (001), (110), and (111) oriented IrO 2 thin films are compared to show which crystal symmetries restrict unconventional spin transport. Understanding and tuning unconventional spin transport generation in high symmetry materials can provide a new route towards energy‐efficient magnetic switching in spintronic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dynamical Generation of Higher-Order Spin-Orbit Coupling, Topology, and Persistent Spin Texture in Light-Irradiated Altermagnets

Altermagnets have been identified as the third category of magnetic materials, exhibiting momentum-dependent spin splitting characterized by even powers of momentum. Here, in this Letter, we show that when subjected to elliptically polarized light, these materials serve as an exemplary framework for the dynamic generation of topological bands featuring higher-order spin-orbit coupling (SOC). Notably, while the generated Zeeman field remains invariant to the particular altermagnetic ordering, the induced higher-order SOCs are related to the magnitude and symmetry of the altermagnetic order. Specifically, we show that an altermagnet exhibiting 𝐤 2⁢𝑛 -spin splitting can generate odd-in-𝐤 spin-orbit couplings up to 𝐤 2⁢𝑛−1 . In the limit of circularly polarized light, the only correction is 𝑘 2⁢𝑛−1 , with all lower-order contributions being nullified. Interestingly, light-induced SOCs significantly impact the low-energy band topology, where their Chern numbers change by Δ⁢𝐶 = ±1, 2, 3 for 𝑑, 𝑔, 𝑖-wave altermagnets. Finally, we find a critical field in which a persistent spin texture is realized, a highly desirable state with predicted infinite spin lifetime. Our Letter showcases light as a powerful, controllable tool for engineering complex and exciting phenomena in altermagnets.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Infrared fixed points of higher-spin fermions in topological semimetals

We determine the fate of interacting fermions described by the Hamiltonian H = p ∙ J in three-dimensional topological semimetals with linear band crossing, where p is momentum and J are the spin- j matrices for half-integer pseudospin j ≥ 3/2. While weak short-range interactions are irrelevant at the crossing point due to the vanishing density of states, weak long-range Coulomb interactions lead to a renormalization of the band structure. Using a self-consistent perturbative renormalization group approach, we show that band crossings of the type p ∙ J are unstable for j ≤ 7/2. Instead, through an intriguing interplay between cubic crystal symmetry, band topology, and interaction effects, the system is attracted to a variety of infrared fixed points. We also unravel several other properties of higher-spin fermions for general j , such as the relation between fermion self-energy and free energy, or the vanishing of the renormalized charge. An O(3) symmetric fixed point composed of equal chirality Weyl fermions is stable for j ≤ 7/2 and very likely so for all j. We then explore the rich fixed point structure for j = 5/2 in detail. We find additional attractive fixed points with enhanced O ( 3 ) symmetry that host both emergent Weyl or massless Dirac fermions, and identify a puzzling, infrared stable, anisotropic fixed point without enhanced symmetry in close analogy to the known case of j = 3/2.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Beyond Kitaev physics in strong spin-orbit coupled magnets

We review the recent advances and current challenges in the field of strong spin-orbit coupled Kitaev materials, with a particular emphasis on the physics beyond the exactly-solvable Kitaev spin liquid point. To this end, we present a comprehensive overview of the key exchange interactions in candidate materials with a specific focus on systems featuring effective J eff = 1/2 magnetic moments. This includes, but not limited to, 5d 5 iridates, 4d 5 ruthenates and 3d 7 cobaltates. Our exploration covers the microscopic origins of these interactions, along with a systematic attempt to map out the most intriguing correlated regimes of the multi-dimensional parameter space. Our approach is guided by robust symmetry and duality transformations as well as insights from a wide spectrum of analytical and numerical studies. We also survey higher spin Kitaev models and recent exciting results on quasi-one-dimensional models and discuss their relevance to higher-dimensional models. Lastly, we highlight some of the key questions in the field as well as future directions.

Kitaev materials↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nonlinear Lifshitz photon theory in condensed matter systems

We present an interacting theory of a U(1) gauge boson with a quadratic dispersion relation, which we call the "nonlinear Lifshitz photon theory.'' The Lifshitz photon is a three-dimensional generalization of the Tkachenko mode in rotating superfluids. Starting from the Wigner crystal of charged particles coupled to a dynamical U(1) gauge field, after integrating out gapped degrees of freedom, we arrive at the Lagrangian for the nonlinear Lifshitz photon. The symmetries of the theory include a global U(1) 1-form symmetry and nonlinearly realized "magnetic" translation and rotation symmetries. The interaction terms in the theory lead to the decay of the Lifshitz photon, the rate of which we estimate. We show that the Wilson loop, which plays the role of the order parameter of the spontaneous breaking of the 1-form global symmetry, deviates from the perimeter law by an additional logarithmic factor. Here, we explore potential connections to other condensed matter systems, with a particular focus on quantum spin ice and ferromagnets. Finally, we generalize our theory to higher dimensions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultrafast photoinduced band splitting and carrier dynamics in chiral tellurium nanosheets

Trigonal tellurium (Te) is a chiral semiconductor that lacks both mirror and inversion symmetries, resulting in complex band structures with Weyl crossings and unique spin textures. Detailed time-resolved polarized reflectance spectroscopy is used to investigate its band structure and carrier dynamics. The polarized transient spectra reveal optical transitions between the uppermost spin-split H4 and H5 and the degenerate H6 valence bands (VB) and the lowest degenerate H6 conduction band (CB) as well as a higher energy transition at the Lpoint. Surprisingly, the degeneracy of the H6 CB (a proposed Weyl node) is lifted and the spin-split VB gap is reduced upon photoexcitation before relaxing to equilibrium as the carriers decay. Using ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we conclude that the dynamic band structure is caused by a photoinduced shear strain in the Te film that breaks the screw symmetry of the crystal. The band-edge anisotropy is also reflected in the hot carrier decay rate, which is a factor of two slower along the c-axis than perpendicular to it. The majority of photoexcited carriers near the band-edge are seen to recombine within 30 ps while higher lying transitions observed near 1.2 eV appear to have substantially longer lifetimes, potentially due to contributions of intervalley processes in the recombination rate. These new findings shed light on the strong correlation between photoinduced carriers and electronic structure in anisotropic crystals, which opens a potential pathway for designing novel Te-based devices that take advantage of the topological structures as well as strong spin-related properties.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spin-resolved topology and partial axion angles in three-dimensional insulators

Abstract Symmetry-protected topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) have primarily been characterized by their gapless boundary states. However, in time-reversal- ( $${{{{{{{\mathcal{T}}}}}}}}$$ T -) invariant (helical) 3D TCIs—termed higher-order TCIs (HOTIs)—the boundary signatures can manifest as a sample-dependent network of 1D hinge states. We here introduce nested spin-resolved Wilson loops and layer constructions as tools to characterize the intrinsic bulk topological properties of spinful 3D insulators. We discover that helical HOTIs realize one of three spin-resolved phases with distinct responses that are quantitatively robust to large deformations of the bulk spin-orbital texture: 3D quantum spin Hall insulators (QSHIs), “spin-Weyl” semimetals, and $${{{{{{{\mathcal{T}}}}}}}}$$ T -doubled axion insulator (T-DAXI) states with nontrivial partial axion angles indicative of a 3D spin-magnetoelectric bulk response and half-quantized 2D TI surface states originating from a partial parity anomaly. Using ab-initio calculations, we demonstrate that β -MoTe 2 realizes a spin-Weyl state and that α -BiBr hosts both 3D QSHI and T-DAXI regimes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Higher-rank tensor field theory of non-abelian fracton and embeddon

We formulate a new class of tensor gauge field theories in any dimension that is a hybrid class between symmetric higher-rank tensor gauge theory (i.e., higher-spin gauge theory) and anti-symmetric tensor topological field theory. Our theory describes a mixed unitary phase interplaying between gapless and gapped topological order phases (which can live with or without Euclidean, Poincaré, or anisotropic symmetry, at least in ultraviolet high or intermediate energy field theory, but not yet to a lattice cutoff scale). The “gauge structure” can be compact, continuous, abelian or non-abelian. Our theory sits outside the paradigm of Maxwell electromagnetic theory in 1865 and Yang–Mills isospin/color theory in 1954. We discuss its local gauge transformation in terms of the ungauged vector-like or tensor-like higher-moment global symmetry. The non-abelian gauge structure is caused by gauging the non-commutative symmetries: a higher-moment symmetry and a charge conjugation (particle–hole) symmetry. Vector global symmetries along time direction may exhibit time crystals. We explore the relation of these long-range entangled matters to a non-abelian generalization of Fracton order in condensed matter, a field theory formulation of foliation, the spacetime embedding and Embeddon that we newly introduce, and possible fundamental physics applications to dark matter or dark energy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

A new spin on the Weak Gravity Conjecture

The mild form of the Weak Gravity Conjecture states that quantum or higher-derivative corrections should decrease the mass of large extremal charged black holes at fixed charge. This allows extremal black holes to decay, unless protected by a symmetry (such as supersymmetry). We reformulate this conjecture as an integrated condition on the effective stress tensor capturing the effect of quantum or higher-derivative corrections. In addition to charged black holes, we also consider rotating BTZ black holes and show that this condition is satisfied as a consequence of the $\textit{c}$-theorem, proving a spinning version of the Weak Gravity Conjecture. We also apply our results to a five-dimensional boosted black string with higher-derivative corrections. The boosted black string has a BTZ×$S^2$ near-horizon geometry and, after Kaluza-Klein reduction, describes a four-dimensional charged black hole. Combining the spinning and charged Weak Gravity Conjecture we obtain positivity bounds on the five-dimensional Wilson coefficients that are stronger than those obtained from charged black holes alone.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗