Quantum criticality and deconfinement in phase transitions between valence bond solids

We consider spin-half quantum antiferromagnets in two spatial dimensions in the quantum limit, where the spins are in a valence bond solid (VBS) phase. The transition between two such VBS phases is studied. In some cases, an interesting second-order transition controlled by a fixed line with varying critical exponents is found. A specific example is provided by an antiferromagnetically coupled bilayer system on the honeycomb lattice where a continuous quantum phase transition can generically exist between two VBS phases. Furthermore, these critical points are deconfined, in the sense that gapped spin- 1/2 spinon excitations emerge right at the transition. The low-energy physics of this critical point (up to marginally irrelevant interactions) contains just a free quadratically dispersing “photon.” The phase structure on one side of this continuous transition is very intricate, consisting of a series of infinitely closely spaced further transitions in a “devil’s staircase” form. Analogies with previous examples of deconfined quantum criticality are emphasized. Closely related transitions in single layer systems are explored. These are second order only at some multicritical points. The solvable Rokshar-Kivelson point of quantum dimer models of single layer systems is found to correspond to a nongeneric multicritical point.