Phases of 2d massless QCD with qubit regularization

Abstract: We investigate the possibility of reproducing the continuum physics of 2d SU(N) gauge theory coupled to a single flavor of massless Dirac fermions using qubit regularization. The continuum theory is described by N free fermions in the ultraviolet (UV) and a coset Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) model in the infrared (IR). In this work, we explore how well these features can be reproduced using the Kogut-Susskind Hamiltonian with a finite-dimensional link Hilbert space and a generalized Hubbard coupling. Using strong coupling expansions, we show that our model exhibits a gapped dimer phase and another phase described by a spin-chain. Furthermore, for N=2, using tensor network methods, we show that there is a second-order phase transition between these two phases. The critical theory at the transition can be understood as an SU(2)_1 WZW model, using which we determine the phase diagram of our model quantitatively. Using the confinement properties of the model we argue how the UV physics of free fermions could also emerge, but may require further modifications to our model.