Localization-protected order in spin chains with non-Abelian discrete symmetries

We study the nonequilibrium phase structure of the three-state random quantum Potts model in one dimension. This spin chain is characterized by a non-Abelian D₃ symmetry recently argued to be incompatible with the existence of a symmetry-preserving many-body localized (MBL) phase. Using exact diagonalization and a finite-size scaling analysis, we find that the model supports two distinct broken-symmetry MBL phases at strong disorder that either break the Z₃ clock symmetry or a Z₂ chiral symmetry. In a dual formulation, our results indicate the existence of a stable finite-temperature topological phase with MBL-protected parafermionic end zero modes. While we find a thermal symmetry-preserving regime for weak disorder, scaling analysis at strong disorder points to an infinite-randomness critical point between two distinct broken-symmetry MBL phases.