Quantum Spin Liquid with Even Ising Gauge Field Structure on Kagome Lattice

Employing large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we study the extended XXZ model on the kagome lattice. A Z₂ quantum spin liquid phase with effective even Ising gauge field structure emerges from the delicate balance among three symmetry-breaking phases including stripe solid, staggered solid, and ferromagnet. This Z₂ spin liquid is stabilized by an extended interaction related to the Rokhsar-Kivelson potential in the quantum dimer model limit. The phase transitions from the staggered solid to a spin liquid or ferromagnet are found to be first order and so is the transition between the stripe solid and ferromagnet. However, the transition between a spin liquid and ferromagnet is found to be continuous and belongs to the 3D XY* universality class associated with the condensation of spinons. The transition between a spin liquid and stripe solid appears to be continuous and associated with the condensation of visons.