Topological phase transitions in four dimensions (2003.04909v2)

Abstract: We show that four-dimensional systems may exhibit a topological phase transition analogous to the well-known Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless vortex unbinding transition in two-dimensional systems. The realisation of an engineered quantum system, where the predicted phase transition shall occur, is also presented. We study a suitable generalization of the sine-Gordon model in four dimensions and the renormalization group flow equation of its couplings, showing that the critical value of the frequency is the square of the corresponding value in $2D$. The value of the anomalous dimension at the critical point is determined ($\eta=1/32$) and a conjecture for the universal jump of the superfluid stiffness ($4/\pi^2$) presented.