Theory of Anderson transition in three-dimensional chiral symmetry classes: Connection to type-II superconductors

Abstract

Phase transitions governed by topological defects constitute a cornerstone of modern physics. Two-dimensional (2D) Anderson transitions in chiral symmetry classes are driven by the proliferation of vortex-antivortex pairs, a mechanism analogous to the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the 2D XY model. In this work, we extend this paradigm to three-dimensional (3D) chiral symmetry classes, where vortex loops emerge as the key topological defects governing the Anderson transition. By deriving the dual representation of the 3D nonlinear sigma model for the chiral unitary class, we develop a mean-field theory of its Anderson transition and elucidate the role of one-dimensional weak band topology in the Anderson transition. Strikingly, our dual representation of the 3D nonlinear sigma model in the chiral symmetry class uncovers its connection to the magnetostatics of 3D type-II superconductors. The metal-to-quasilocalized and quasilocalized-to-insulating transitions in 3D chiral symmetry class share a unified theoretical framework with the normal-to-mixed and mixed-to-superconducting transitions in 3D type-II superconductors under an external magnetic field, respectively.

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