Fermions and Fractons in 2+1-D Quantum Field Theory

Murtaza Jafry

Fermion on the Lattice

For this section, we will first discuss how to implement the fermion on the lattice for the XY plaquette model.
To start, the XY plaquette model in Sieberg’s paper takes the form
uX 2 X
Hscal = πs − K cos(∆xy φs ) (1)
2 s s

where ∆xy φx̂,ŷ = φx̂+1,ŷ+1 − φx̂+1,ŷ − φx̂,ŷ+1 + φx̂,ŷ . Here πs are the conjugate momentum modes for the scalar
field. If we now put fermions onto this lattice, we will find that their kinetic term will take the form
1 †
Hf er = − ψ (ψn+x̂ − 2ψn + ψn−x̂ + ψn+ŷ − 2ψn + ψn−ŷ ) (2)
2m n
This is a spin-less one-component fermion which will possess a second order spatial derivative in the continuum.
Here m is the mass for the fermion field. We can also introduce a coupling interaction term on the lattice
between the fermion and the scalar. This leads to

Hint = λψn† ψn sin(∆xy φ) (3)

This term also requires that the φ field transform non-trivially under the Z4 symmetry in order to stay invariant.
From this, we can say that the full Hamiltonian for the scalar+fermion theory on the lattice becomes

H = Hscal + Hf er + Hint
uX 2 X 1 †
= πs − K cos(∆xy φs ) − ψn (ψn+x̂ − 2ψn + ψn−x̂ + ψn+ŷ − 2ψn + ψn−ŷ ) + λψn† ψn sin(∆xy φ)
2 s s
2m
(4)

This then becomes the desired Hamiltonian for the full XY-plaquette model with a fermion on the lattice sites.
We can now assess the continuum theory for this lattice model.

Continuum Field Theory for Scalar+Fermion

To start, we know that the continuum Lagrangian for the scalar on the lattice was discussed within the Seiberg
paper. There it was found that
µ0 1
Lscal = (∂0 φ)2 − (∂x ∂y φ)2 (5)
2 2µ
One can now do a similar analysis for the fermion in the continuum. In other words, we will find that

∇2
 
†
Lf er = ψ i∂0 + ψ (6)
2m

From this, we then can assess how the lattice interaction between the fermion and the scalar will look within
the continuum. Specifically, we will find that sin(∆xy φ) ≈ ∆xy φ + O(∆2xy φ), which means to leading order

Lint = λψ † ψ∂x ∂y φ (7)

1
From this, we will find that the full continuum theory of the fermion and the scalar become

L = Lscal + Lf er + Lint
∇2 (8)
 
µ0 1
= (∂0 φ)2 − (∂x ∂y φ)2 + ψ † i∂0 + ψ + λψ † ψ∂x ∂y φ
2 2µ 2m

This then becomes the desired full theory.

Feynman Rules
For this section, we will now go into detail regarding the Feynman rules for the fermion+scalar theory. We can
first consider the fermion and calculate its two-point function. We will find that
ˆ ∞
† 1 e−iωτ −ikx x−iky y
hT(ψ (τ, x, y)ψ(0))i = dωdk x dky k2 +k2
(9)
(2π)3 −∞ ω + x2m y

This then becomes the desired propagator for the fermion in the continuum. We can also calculate the propagator
for the scalar in this theory. This was also calculated within Seiberg’s paper. The result becomes
ˆ ∞
1 eiωτ +ikx x+iky y
hφ(τ, x, y)φ(0)i = 3
dωdkx dky k2 k2
(10)
(2π) −∞ µ0 ω 2 + xµ y

The last propagator can be solved directly into an integral of the form
r ˆ ∞ ˆ ∞
k k
− √xµµy |τ |
2 µ e 0
hφ(τ, x, y)φ(0)i = dkx dky cos(kx x) cos(ky y) (11)
(2π)2 µ0 0 0 kx ky

One can also further simplify the fermion propagator in a similar fashion. We also know that the relevant
coupling interaction for the scalar and fermion will have a Feynman rule of the form

Vertex = iλkx ky
1
hψ † (ω, kx , ky )ψ(0)i = 2 +k 2
kx y
ω+ 2m + i (12)
1
hφ(ω, kx , ky )φ(0)i = 2 k2
kx
µ0 ω 2 + µ
y
+ i

We can now assess the dynamics of this theory and calculate its associated beta function.

Scalar 1PI Diagram

We will now calculate the Scalar 1PI diagram to leading order in the coupling constant λ. This Feynman
diagram is equal to
ˆ ∞   
1 2 0 0 2 1 1
iΣφ = dωdkx dky (iλ) (kx ky ) k2 +k2 (k0 −kx )2 +(ky0 −ky )2
(2π)3 −∞ ω − x2m y + i (ω 0 − ω) − x + i
2m
2 02 02 ˆ ∞ (13)
λ kx ky
  
1 1
=− dωdkx dky k2 +k2 (k0 −kx )2 +(ky0 −ky )2
(2π)3 −∞ ω − x2m y + i (ω 0 − ω) − x + i
2m

The associated Feynman diagram can be found in Fig. (1). We can proceed to calculate this integral by using
the residue theorem. If we first integrate over ω, we will find that the integral has two poles at

kx2 + ky2 (kx0 − kx )2 + (ky0 − ky )2

ω1 = − i ; ω2 = ω 0 − + i (14)
2m 2m

2
 k 0µ − k µ

k 0µ k 0µ

−k µ

Figure 1: In this figure, the dotted lines represent the scalar propagators while the solid lines represent the
fermion propagators. The self-energy contribution here represents the only second order contribution to the 1PI
diagram for the scalars within this theory.

This then means that the integral then becomes

ˆ
λ2 kx02 ky02 ∞ (kx0 − kx )2 + (ky0 − ky )2
 
1 0
iΣφ = − dkx dky 2πiRes k2 +k2
, ω − + i
(2π)3 −∞ ω − x2m y + i 2m
ˆ
λ2 kx02 ky02 ∞ 1
=− dkx dky 0 −k )2 +(k 0 −k )2 k2 +k2 (15)
(2π)2 −∞ 0
ω −
(kx x y y
+ i − x2m y + i
2m
ˆ
λ2 kx02 ky02 ∞ 1
=− dkx dky 0 −k )2 +(k 0 −k )2 k2 +k2
(2π)2 −∞ ω0 −
(kx x y y
− x2m y + 2i
2m

We can clearly see that this integral is logarithmically divergent. We can now use dimensional regularization to
compute this integral explicitly.
ˆ
2 02 02 dd k 1
Σφ = −λ kx ky
(2π)d ω 0 − (k0 −k)2 − k2
2m 2m
ˆ
2 02 02 dd k 1
= −λ kx ky 0 02
(2π)d ω − m 1
[(k − k2 )2 + k4 ]
ˆ
dd k 1
= −λ2 kx02 ky02 (16)
(2π) ω − m [k 2 + k402 ]
d 1
ˆ
2 02 02 dd k 1
= mλ kx ky d 2
(2π) k − ∆
  1− d2 
2 02 02 −i 1
= mλ kx ky Γ(1 − d/2)
(4π)d/2 ∆
k02
Here ∆ = 4 − mω. We can now substitute d = 2 − , and perturbativley expand. This then leads to
  /2 
−i 1
Σφ = mλ2 kx02 ky02 Γ()
4π ∆
  (17)
−i 1
Σφ = mλ2 kx02 ky02 × × −γ
4π 

3
Integral From Reference
This integral is also similar to that found in cond-math/0609106. If we definethe prefactors
 in terms of a
2 2 02 02 † ∇2
variable Ξ = λ kx ky and consider a fermion Lagrangian of the form Lf er = ψ ∂0 + 2m ψ.
ˆ ˆ
dd k

 
dω 1 1
Σφ = −Ξ2 k2 (k0 −k)2
2π (2π)d
−iω − 2m 0
−i(ω − ω) − 2m
(18)
02 d/2−1
 
2 Γ(1 − d/2) d/2 k
= −Ξ m × − iω +
(4π)d/2 4m
Then following the same procedure of using minimal subtraction to regularize the logarithm divergence, we will
find that the renormalized self-energy in 2+1 dimensions then becomes
k 02
 
Ξ
Σφ = − iω 0 + ; Zφ = 1 − Ξ (19)
Zφ 4m
From this the associated beta function then becomes
∂Ξ Ξ Ξ3 ∂λ λ kx02 ky02 λ3
= − =⇒ = − (20)
∂` 2 2 ∂` 2 2
Thus, the fixed point for this theory would then occur at
1
λ∗ = (21)
kx0 ky0
At this critical point, we find that the theory is scale invariant, but we can also assess whether the theory has
a larger conformal invariance. One can also calculate the anomalous dimension for φ becomes
Ξ Ξ3 1 Ξ − Ξ3
 
1 ∂ ln Zφ 1 1 ∂Zφ 1 1 ∂Ξ 1 1
γφ = − =− = = − = (22)
2 ∂` 2 Zφ ∂` 2 1 − Ξ ∂` 21−Ξ 2 2 4 1−Ξ
This then becomes the desired anomalous dimension.

Fermion 1PI Diagram

We can now consider the self-energy contribution to the fermion with the same theory. This diagram then
becomes Fig. 2. One can now calculate the associated contribution to the self-energy from this diagram. This

k1µ − k µ

k1µ k1µ

−k µ

Figure 2: In this figure, the dotted lines represent the scalar propagators while the solid lines represent the
fermion propagators. The self-energy contribution here represents the only second order contribution to the 1PI
diagram for the fermion within this theory.

then becomes ˆ
2 dωd2 k 1 kx2 ky2
Σψ = (iλ) (23)
(2π)3 (ω1 − ω) + (k1 −k) − i µ0 ω 2 + kx2 ky2
2

2m µ

4
One can now compute the ω integral by using the residue theorem. This leads to
ˆ √
kx2 ky2 kx2 ky2
 
dω 1 µ kx ky
= i +
2π (ω1 − ω) + (k1 −k)2 − i µ0 ω 2 + kx2 ky2 −k)2
µ0 (ω1 + (k12m
k2 k2 kx ky
2i ω1 − i √ (k1 −k)2
− i
2m µ − i)2 + xµ y µ0 µ + 2m
(24)

This integral comes from closing the contour in the upper half plane. In this case, we find that we have one
pole that arises with this −i prescription. This component is computed by solving the residue of the form

kx2 ky2
 
1 ikx ky
Res −k)2 √ kx ky √ kx ky
,ω = √
(ω1 − ω) + (k12m − i ( µ0 ω + i √ µ )( µ0 ω − i
√ )
µ
µµ0

√ kx ky 1 kx2 ky2
= 2πi lim ( µ0 ω − i √ ) 2 √ √
µ (ω1 − ω) + (k1 −k) − i ( µ0 ω + i √
k k
x y kx ky
µ )( µ0 ω − i
ikx ky
ω→ √µµ √ )
0 2m µ

1 kx2 ky2
= 2πi lim (k1 −k)2 √ kx ky (25)
ik k
x y
ω→ √µµ
0
(ω1 − ω) + 2m − i ( µ0 ω + i √ µ )

1 kx2 ky2
= k k −k)2
(k1 √ ikx ky kx ky
ω1 − i √xµ0yµ + 2m − i ( µ0 √µµ0 + i √ µ )
√
µ kx ky
= k k (k1 −k)2
2i ω1 − i √x y
− i
µ0 µ + 2m

This then becomes the desired second term for Eq. (24).
This therefore means that Eq. (23) reduces down to
ˆ √ √ ˆ
dkx dky µ kx ky 2 µ dkx dky kx ky
Σψ = (iλ)2 −k)2 = (iλ) 2 2 (26)
(2π)2 k
2 ω1 − i √x ky (k1 2 2 k
(2π) ω1 − i √x ky (k1,x −kx ) +(k1,y −ky )
µ0 µ + 2m µ0 µ + 2m

To calculate this integral, we can transition into polar coordinates. In this case, we will find that this integral
becomes √ ˆ 2π ˆ ∞
µ r3 cos(θ) sin(θ)
Σψ = (iλ)2 2
dθ dr 2 (k −r cos(θ))2 +(k1,y −r sin(θ))2
(27)
2(2π) 0 0 ω1 − i r cos(θ)
√
sin(θ)
µ0 µ+ 1,x 2m

Here, we have defined r ≡ kx2 kx ≡ r cos(θ), ky ≡ r sin(θ). If we now choose to set k1µ = (ω1 , ~k1 ) = 0, then
+ ky2 ,
we find that the self-energy reduces down to
√ ˆ 2π ˆ ∞
2 µ r3 cos(θ) sin(θ)
Σψ = (iλ) 2
dθ dr r2 cos(θ) sin(θ)
2(2π) 0 r2
0 −i √
µ0 µ + 2m
√ ˆ 2π ˆ ∞
µ r cos(θ) sin(θ)
= −(iλ)2 2
dθ dr cos(θ) sin(θ)
2(2π) 0 0 i √µ0 µ − 2m 1

√ ˆ 2π ˆ ∞ (28)
2 µ cos(θ) sin(θ)
= −(iλ) dθ cos(θ) sin(θ) r dr
2(2π)2 0 i √µ0 µ − 2m 1
0
√ ˆ 2π ˆ ∞
µ sin(2θ)
= −(iλ)2 dθ r dr
2(2π)2 0 i sin(2θ) 1
µ0 µ − m 0
√

This then becomes our desired un-renormalized self-energy for the fermion.