Hierarchical Proliferation of Higher-Rank Symmetry Defects in Fractonic Superfluids

Abstract

Symmetry defects, e.g., vortices in conventional superfluids, play a critical role in a complete description of symmetry-breaking phases. In this paper, we develop the theory of symmetry defects in fractonic superfluids, i.e., spontaneously higher-rank symmetry (HRS) breaking phases. By Noether's theorem, HRS is associated with the conservation law of higher moments, e.g. dipoles, quadrupoles, and angular moments. We establish finite-temperature phase diagrams by identifying a series of topological phase transitions via the renormalization group flow equations and Debye-H\"uckel approximation. Accordingly, a series of Kosterlitz-Thouless topological transitions are found to occur successively at different temperatures, which are triggered by proliferation of defects, defect bound states, and so on. Such a \emph{hierarchical proliferation} brings rich phase structures. Meanwhile, a screening effect from sufficiently high density of defect bound states leads to instability and collapse of the intermediate temperature phases, which further enriches the phase diagrams. For concreteness, we consider a fractonic superfluid in which ``angular moments'' are conserved. We then present the general theory, in which other types of HRS can be analyzed in a similar manner. Further directions are present at the end of the paper.