2D superconductivity: classification of universality classes by infinite symmetry (Q875829)

I consider superconducting condensates which become incompressible in the infinite gap limit. Classical 2D incompressible fluids possess the dynamical symmetry of area-preserving diffeomorphisms. I show that the corresponding infinite dynamical symmetry of 2D superconducting fluids is the coset \({W_{1+\infty} \otimes \overline W_{1+\infty} \over U(1)_{\text{diagonal}}}\), with \(W_{1+\infty}\) the chiral algebra of quantum area-preserving diffeomorphisms and I derive its minimal models. These define a discrete set of 2D superconductivity universality classes which fall into two main categories: conventional superconductors with their vortex excitations and unconventional superconductors. These are characterized by a broken \(\text{U}(1)_{\text{vector}} \otimes \text{U}(1)_{\text{axial}}\) symmetry and are labeled by an integer level \(m\). They possess neutral spinon excitations of fractional spin and statistics \(S = {\theta \over 2\pi} = {{m-1} \over 2m}\) which carry also an \(\text{SU}(m)\) isospin quantum number; this hidden \(\text{SU}(m)\) symmetry implies that these anyon excitations are non-abelian. The simplest unconventional superconductor is realized for \(m=2\): in this case the spinon excitations are semions (half-fermions). My results show that spin-charge separation in 2D superconductivity is a universal consequence of the infinite symmetry of the ground state. This infinite symmetry and its superselection rules realize a quantum protectorate in which the neutral spinons can survive even as soft modes on a rigid, spinless charge condensate.