Bond ordering in flux phases of interacting spinless fermions on the square lattice
Phys. Rev. B 113, 045140 – Published 22 January, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/3jqj-28q7
Abstract
Contrary to canonical expectations, we show that lattice translational symmetry breaking often accompanies uniformly ordered flux phases. We demonstrate this phenomenon by studying a spinless-fermion model on a square lattice with nearest-neighbor repulsion. We find an array of flux patterns, as a function of interaction strength and filling factor, that break time-reversal symmetry but may or may not preserve translational symmetry. A key finding is that the pattern of flux ordering does not uniquely determine the electronic properties. As such, another class of phases of matter is introduced that expands the set of candidate ground states in interacting many-body systems.
