Subsystem symmetries, critical Bose surface, and immobile excitations in an extended compass model

Abstract

We propose an extended compass model that hosts subsystem symmetries and has potential experimental relevance with 3d transition metal compounds. The subsystem symmetries strongly constrain the mobility of spin excitations and lead to profound consequences. At the quantum critical point we find the presence of "critical Bose surface" along the entire $k_x$ and $k_y$ axis. Across which we find a nodal-line spin liquid that undergoes nematic instability at low temperatures. In the ferro-quadrupole phase, we find that one excitation is immobile individually analogous to "fractons".