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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Classical Z2 spin liquid on the generalized four-color Kitaev model

Han Yan (闫寒)1,* and Rico Pohle2,3,4,†

  • *Contact author: hanyan@issp.u-tokyo.ac.jp
  • †Contact author: rico.pohle@tohoku.ac.jp
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012052 – Published 4 March, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.7.L012052

Abstract

While U(1) spin liquids have been extensively studied in both quantum and classical regimes, exact classical Z2 spin liquids arising from models with nearest-neighbor, bilinear spin interactions are still rare. In this Letter, we explore the four-color Kitaev model as a minimal model for stabilizing classical Z2 spin liquids across a broad family of tricoordinated lattices. By formulating a Z2 lattice gauge theory, we identify this spin liquid as being described by an emergent Gauss's law with effective charge-2 condensation, and deconfined fractionalized bond-charge excitations. We complement our findings with Monte Carlo simulations, revealing a crossover from a high-temperature paramagnet to a low-temperature liquid phase characterized by residual entropy, classical Z2 flux order, and diffuse spin structure factors.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, L012052– Published 4 March, 2025
  • Received 21 September 2024
  • Accepted 27 January 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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