Gauge-constrained Spinon Complexes Near Deconfined Quantum Criticality

Abstract

Quantum magnets provide a microscopic platform for studying confinement and gauge-constrained structures mediated by emergent gauge fields. We investigate confined spinon complexes in the columnar valence-bond-solid (VBS) phase near deconfined quantum criticality using pinned-spin defects and quantum Monte Carlo simulations. The pinned spins act as static spinon sources with controlled positions, spin projections, and VBS vorticities, enabling measurement of defect energies and direct real-space visualization of the associated VBS domain-wall strings. For matched spinon-antispinon sources, the excitation energy saturates beyond a characteristic separation as one extended dipole reorganizes into two shorter neutral dipoles, providing energetic and real-space evidence of string breaking. We further show that domain-wall connectivity is governed by lattice-scale VBS phase offsets in addition to vorticity and spin-projection neutrality. Compatible multi-pin patterns generate connected four-spinon complexes and extended domain-wall networks that retain their global connectivity under local distortions. These results establish pinned-spin defects as a controlled tool for assembling and resolving multi-spinon structures and their confining strings in a VBS phase.