Quantum phase transition induced by real-space topology

A quantum phase transition (QPT), including both topological and symmetry breaking types, is usually induced by the change of global parameters, such as external fields or global coupling constants. In this work, we demonstrate the existence of QPT induced by the real-space topology of the system. We investigate the groundstate properties of the tight-binding model on a honeycomb lattice with the torus geometry based on exact results. It is shown that the ground state experiences a second-order QPT, exhibiting the scaling behavior, when the torus switches to a tube, which reveals the connection between quantum phase and the real-space topology of the system.