Universal Nonpower Law Scaling from a Chaotic Renormalization Group in the Harper-Hofstadter Model
Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 096303 – Published 25 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/cdyf-tmnx
Abstract
Previous studies of incommensurate systems concluded that their critical scaling is sensitively dependent on the irrational, , which determines the incommensuration. Contrary to this belief, in the canonical Harper-Hofstadter model, we show there is universal -independent scaling for almost all . This critical scaling is characterized by non-power-law time-length scaling . We demonstrate this in the superfluid fraction of a Bose gas, and the specific heat of a Fermi gas. This scaling is generic of a broad class of generalized Harper-Hofstadter models. The -independent scaling emerges as the number theoretic properties of almost all irrational numbers are statistically identical (à la Gauss-Kuzmin statistics). Consequently, we conjecture similar -independent scaling applies in incommensurate models more generally.