Three-dimensional antiferromagnetic CP(N-1) models

Understand

We investigate the critical behavior of three-dimensional antiferromagnetic CP(N-1) [ACP(N-1)] models in cubic lattices, which are characterized by a global U(N) symmetry and a local U(1) gauge symmetry.

• Assuming that critical fluctuations are associated with a staggered gauge-invariant (hermitian traceless matrix) order parameter, we determine the corresponding Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson (LGW) model.
• For N=3 this mapping allows us to conclude that the three-component ACP(2) model undergoes a continuous transition that belongs to the O(8) vector universality class, with an effective enlargement of the symmetry at the critical point.
• This prediction is confirmed by a detailed numerical comparison of finite-size data for the ACP(2) and the O(8) vector models.