Geometry-driven transitions in sparse long-range spin models with cold atoms

Abstract: We explore the influence of geometry in the critical behavior of sparse long-range spin models. We examine a model with interactions that can be continuously tuned to induce distinct changes in the metric, topology, and dimensionality of the coupling graph. This underlying geometry acts as the driver of criticality, with structural changes in the graph coinciding with and dictating the phase boundaries. We further discuss how this framework connects naturally to realizations in tweezer arrays with Rydberg excitations. In certain cases, the effective geometry can be incorporated in the layout of atoms in tweezers to realize phase transitions that preserve universal features, simplifying their implementation in near-term experiments.