Bridging Lattice-Scale Physics and Continuum Field Theory with Quantum Monte Carlo Simulations

We discuss designer Hamiltonians—lattice models tailored to be free from sign problems (“de-signed”) when simulated with quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) methods but which still host complex many-body states and quantum phase transitions of interest in condensed matter physics. We focus on quantum spin systems in which competing interactions lead to nonmagnetic ground states. These states and the associated quantum phase transitions can be studied in great detail, enabling direct access to universal properties and connections with low-energy effective quantum field theories. As specific examples, we discuss the transition from a Néel antiferromagnet to either a uniform quantum paramagnet or a spontaneously symmetry-broken valence-bond solid (VBS) in SU(2) and SU(N) invariant spin models. We also discuss anisotropic (XXZ) systems harboring topological Z2 spin liquids and the XY* transition. We briefly review recent progress on QMC algorithms, including ground-state projection in the valence-bond basis and direct computation of the Renyi variants of the entanglement entropy.