Unifying fractons, gravitons and photons from a gauge theoretical approach

Abstract

We revisit the first principles gauge theoretical construction of relativistic gapless fracton theory developed by A.~Blasi and N.~Maggiore. The difference is that, instead of considering a symmetric tensor field, we consider a vector field with a gauge group index, \emph{i.e.} the usual Einstein-Cartan variable used in the first order formalism of gravity. After discussing the most general quadratic action for this field, we explore the physical sectors contained in the model. Particularly, we show that the model contains not only linear gravity and fractons, but also ordinary Maxwell equations, suggesting an apparent electrically charged phase of, for instance, spin liquids and glassy dynamical systems. Moreover, by a suitable change of field variables, we recover the Blasi-Maggiore gauge model of fractons and linear gravity.