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Gauge symmetries and Higgs mechanisms are key features of theories describing high-energy particle physics and collective phenomena in statistical and condensed-matter physics. In this review we address the collective behavior of systems of multicomponent scalar fields interacting with gauge fields, which can be already present in the underlying microscopic system or emerge only at criticality. The interplay between local gauge and global symmetries determines the phase diagram, the nature of the Higgs phases, and the nature of phase transitions between the high-temperature disordered and the low-temperature Higgs phases. However, further crucial features determine the universal properties of the critical behaviors at continuous transitions. Specifically, their nature also depends on the role played by the gauge modes at criticality: effective (Abelian or nonAbelian) gauge Higgs field theories emerge if gauge modes develop critical correlations, while more standard critical behaviors occur in the case they remain short ranged at the transition. In the latter case, gauge fields only prevent non-gauge invariant correlators from becoming critical. This review covers the recent progress made in the study of Higgs systems with Abelian and nonAbelian gauge fields. We mainly focus on three-dimensional systems, and briefly discuss two-dimensional systems, whose equilibrium statistical properties are described by a classical partition function. However, by using the quantum-to-classical mapping, the results on the critical behavior for classical systems in $D=d+1$ dimensions can be extended to quantum transitions in $d$ dimensions., Comment: 111 pages, 50 pdf figures, review paper: comments welcome

We consider the three-dimensional (3D) lattice SU($N_c$) gauge Higgs theories with multicomponent ($N_f>1$) degenerate scalar fields and U($N_f$) global symmetry, focusing on systems with $N_c=2$, to identify critical behaviors that can be effectively described by the corresponding 3D SU($N_c$) gauge Higgs field theory. The field-theoretical analysis of the RG flow allows one to identify a stable charged fixed point for large values of $N_f$, that would control transitions characterized by the global symmetry-breaking pattern ${\rm U}(N_f)\rightarrow \mathrm{SU}(2)\otimes \mathrm{U}(N_f-2)$. Continuous transitions with the same symmetry-breaking pattern are observed in the SU(2) lattice gauge model for $N_f \ge 30$. Here we present a detailed finite-size scaling analysis of the Monte Carlo data for several large values of $N_f$. The results are in substantial agreement with the field-theoretical predictions obtained in the large-$N_f$ limit. This provides evidence that the SU($N_c$) gauge Higgs field theories provide the correct effective description of the 3D large-$N_f$ continuous transitions between the disordered and the Higgs phase, where the flavor symmetry breaks to $\mathrm{SU}(2)\otimes \mathrm{U}(N_f-2)$. Therefore, at least for large enough $N_f$, the 3D SU($N_c$) gauge Higgs field theories with multicomponent scalar fields can be nonperturbatively defined by the continuum limit of lattice discretizatized models with the same local and global symmetries., Comment: 10 pages, 8 pdf figures

We study the O($N$)$^*$ transitions that occur in the 3D $\mathbb{Z}_2$-gauge $N$-vector model, and the analogous Ising$^*$ transitions occurring in the 3D $\mathbb{Z}_2$-gauge Higgs model, corresponding to an $N$-vector model with $N=1$. At these transitions, gauge-invariant correlations behave as in the usual $N$-vector/Ising model. Instead, the nongauge invariant spin correlations are trivial and therefore the spin order parameter that characterizes the spontaneous breaking of the O($N$) symmetry in standard $N$-vector/Ising systems is apparently absent. We define a novel gauge fixing procedure -- we name it stochastic gauge fixing -- that allows us to define a gauge-dependent vector field that orders at the transition and is therefore the appropriate order parameter for the O($N$) symmetry breaking. To substantiate this approach, we perform numerical simulations for $N=3$ and $N=1$. A finite-size scaling analysis of the numerical data allows us to confirm the general scenario: the gauge-fixed spin correlation functions behave as the corresponding functions computed in the usual $N$-vector/Ising model. The emergence of a critical vector order parameter in the gauge model shows the complete equivalence of the O($N$)$^*$/Ising$^*$ and O($N$)/Ising universality classes., Comment: 15 pages, 16 pdf figures, minor changes

We address the equilibrium and out-of-equilibrium behavior of the particle density in many-body systems undergoing quantum transitions driven by the chemical potential $\mu$. They originate from a nontrivial interplay between noncritical short-range and critical long-range quantum fluctuations. As a paradigmatic model we consider the one-dimensional fermionic Kitaev chain, for which very accurate numerical studies can be performed, up to $O(10^4)$ sites. The search for dynamic scaling behaviors of the particle density is complicated by the fact that its equilibrium (ground state) behavior is dominated by short-range fluctuations, giving rise to regular background terms and peculiar logarithmic terms from resonances between renormalization-group perturbations associated with the energy and identity operator families within the conformal field theory. To study these issues, we focus on two dynamic protocols, either instantaneous quenches or quasi-adiabatic changes of $\mu$ to the critical value $\mu_c$, unveiling out-of-equilibrium scaling behaviors of the particle density, which arise from the critical modes, within a dynamic finite-size scaling framework., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures. Added Sec. IV.D, corrected misprints

We study the phase diagram and critical behaviors of three-dimensional lattice ${\mathbb Z}_2$-gauge $N$-vector models, in which an $N$-component real field is minimally coupled with a ${\mathbb Z}_2$-gauge link variables. These models are invariant under global O($N$) and local ${\mathbb Z}_2$ transformations. They present three phases characterized by the spontaneous breaking of the global O($N$) symmetry and by the different topological properties of the ${\mathbb Z}_2$-gauge correlations. We address the nature of the three transition lines separating the three phases. The theoretical predictions are supported by numerical finite-size scaling analyses of Monte Carlo data for the $N=2$ model. In this case, continuous transitions can be observed along both transition lines where the spins order, in the regime of small and large inverse gauge coupling $K$. Even though these continuous transitions belong to the same $XY$ universality class, their critical modes turn out to be different. When the gauge variables are disordered (small $K$), the relevant order-parameter field is a gauge-invariant bilinear combination of the vector field. On the other hand, when the gauge variables are ordered (large $K$), the order-parameter field is the gauge-dependent $N$-vector field, whose critical behavior can only be probed by using a stochastic gauge fixing that reduces the gauge freedom., Comment: 15 pages

We consider a three-dimensional lattice Abelian Higgs gauge model for a charged $N$-component scalar field ${\phi}$, which is invariant under $SO(N)$ global transformations for generic values of the parameters. We focus on the strong-coupling regime, in which the kinetic Hamiltonian term for the gauge field is a small perturbation, which is irrelevant for the critical behavior. The Hamiltonian depends on a parameter $v$ which determines the global symmetry of the model and the symmetry of the low-temperature phases. We present renormalization-group predictions, based on a Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson effective description that relies on the identification of the appropriate order parameter and on the symmetry-breaking patterns that occur at the strong-coupling phase transitions. For $v=0$, the global symmetry group of the model is $SU(N)$; the corresponding model may undergo continuous transitions only for $N=2$. For $v\not=0$, i.e., in the $SO(N)$ symmetric case, continuous transitions (in the Heisenberg universality class) are possible also for $N=3$ and 4. We perform Monte Carlo simulations for $N=2,3,4,6$, to verify the renormalization-group predictions. Finite-size scaling analyses of the numerical data are in full agreement., Comment: 12 pages, 11 pdf figures, some references added. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2310.08504

We study the out-of-equilibrium behavior of statistical systems along critical relaxational flows arising from instantaneous quenches of the temperature $T$ to the critical point $T_c$, starting from equilibrium conditions at time $t=0$. In the case of soft quenches, i.e. when the initial temperature $T$ is assumed sufficiently close to $T_c$ (to keep the system within the critical regime), the critical modes develop an out-of-equilibrium finite-size scaling (FSS) behavior in terms of the rescaled time variable $\Theta=t/L^z$, where $t$ is the time interval after quenching, $L$ is the size of the system, and $z$ is the dynamic exponent associated with the dynamics. However, the realization of this picture is less clear when considering the energy density, whose equilibrium scaling behavior (corresponding to the starting point of the relaxational flow) is generally dominated by a temperature-dependent regular background term or mixing with the identity operator. These issues are investigated by numerical analyses within the three-dimensional lattice $N$-vector models, for $N=3$ and $N=4$, which provide examples of critical behaviors with negative values of the specific-heat critical exponent $\alpha$, implying that also the critical behavior of the specific heat gets hidden by the background term. The results show that, after subtraction of its asymptotic critical value at $T_c$, the energy density develops an asymptotic out-of-equilibrium FSS in terms of $\Theta$ as well, whose scaling function appears singular in the small-$\Theta$ limit., Comment: 12 pages

We investigate the nature of the deconfinement transitions in three-dimensional lattice Abelian Higgs models, in which a complex scalar field of integer charge $Q\ge 2$ is minimally coupled with a compact $U(1)$ gauge field. Their phase diagram presents two phases separated by a transition line where static charges $q$, with $q

We critically discuss the results reported in arXiv:2311.17994v1 by L. Oppenheim, M. Koch-Janusz, S. Gazit, and Z. Ringel, on the multicritical behavior of the three-dimensional Ising-Gauge model at the multicritical point. We argue that their results do not contradict the theoretical scenario put forward in ``Multicritical point of the three-dimensional ${\mathbb Z}_2$ gauge Higgs model'', Phys. Rev. B 105, 165138 (2022), arXiv:2112.01824, that predicted a multicritical behavior controlled by the stable $XY$ fixed point of an effective three-dimensional ${\mathbb Z}_2\oplus {\mathbb Z}_2$ Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson $\Phi^4$ field theory. Actually, their results, as well as all numerical results reported so far in the literature, are consistent with a multicritical $XY$ scenario., Comment: 2 pages, 1 pdf figure

We consider multicomponent Abelian Higgs (AH) gauge theories with multiparameter scalar quartic potentials that are extensions, with a smaller global symmetry group, of $SU(N)$-invariant AH theories. In particular, we consider an AH model with a two-parameter scalar potential and $SO(N)$ global symmetry. We discuss the renormalization-group flow of the $SO(N)$-invariant AH field theory and the phase diagram and critical behavior of a corresponding three-dimensional (3D) noncompact lattice AH model. We argue that the phase diagram of 3D noncompact $SO(N)$- and $SU(N)$-symmetric lattice AH models are qualitatively similar. In both cases there are three phases: the high-temperature Coulomb phase, and the low-temperature molecular and Higgs phases that differ for the topological properties of the gauge correlations. However, the main features of the low-temperature ordered phases, and in particular of the Higgs phase, differ significantly in $SO(N)$ and $SU(N)$ models. In particular, in $SO(N)$ models they depend on the sign of the self-interaction parameter $v$ that controls the symmetry breaking from $SU(N)$ to $SO(N)$. As a consequence, also the universal features of the transitions related with the spontaneous breaking of the global symmetry (those between the high-temperature Coulomb phase and the low-temperature molecular and Higgs phases) depend on the sign of $v$., Comment: 14 pages

We study the topological phase transitions occurring in three-dimensional (3D) multicomponent lattice Abelian-Higgs (LAH) models, in which an $N$-component scalar field is minimally coupled with a noncompact Abelian gauge field, with a global SU($N$) symmetry. Their phase diagram presents a high-temperature Coulomb (C) phase, and two low-temperature molecular (M) and Higgs (H) phases, both characterized by the spontaneous breaking of the SU($N$) symmetry. The molecular-Higgs (MH) and Coulomb-Higgs (CH) transitions are topological transitions, separating a phase with gapless gauge modes and confined charges from a phase with gapped gauge modes and deconfined charged excitations. These transitions are not described by effective Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson theories, due to the active role of the gauge modes. We show that the MH and CH transitions belong to different charged universality classes. The CH transitions are associated with the $N$-dependent charged fixed point of the renormalization-group (RG) flow of the 3D Abelian-Higgs field theory (AHFT). On the other hand, the universality class of the MH transitions is independent of $N$ and coincides with that controlling the continuous transitions of the one-component ($N=1$) LAH model. In particular, we verify that the gauge critical behavior always corresponds to that observed in the 3D inverted XY model, and that the correlations of an extended charged gauge-invariant operator (in the Lorenz gauge, this operator corresponds to the scalar field, thus it is local, justifing the use of the RG framework) have an $N$-independent critical universal behavior. This scenario is supported by numerical results for $N=1,\,2,\,25$. The MH critical behavior does not apparently have an interpretation in terms of the RG flow of the AHFT, as determined perturbatively close to four dimensions or with standard large-$N$ methods., Comment: 16 pages

We study the critical behavior of three-dimensional (3D) lattice Abelian-Higgs (AH) gauge models with noncompact gauge variables and multicomponent complex scalar fields, along the transition line between the Coulomb and Higgs phases. Previous works that focused on gauge-invariant correlations provided evidence that, for a sufficiently large number of scalar components, these transitions are continuous and associated with the stable charged fixed point of the renormalization-group flow of the 3D AH field theory (scalar electrodynamics), in which charged scalar matter is minimally coupled with an electromagnetic field. Here we extend these studies by considering gauge-dependent correlations of the gauge and matter fields, in the presence of two different gauge fixings, the Lorenz and the axial gauge fixing. Our results for N=25 are definitely consistent with the predictions of the AH field theory and therefore provide additional evidence for the characterization of the 3D AH transitions along the Coulomb-Higgs line as charged transitions in the AH field-theory universality class. Moreover, our results give additional insights on the role of the gauge fixing at charged transitions. In particular, we show that scalar correlations are critical only if a hard Lorenz gauge fixing is imposed., Comment: 14 pages

We address the out-of-equilibrium dynamics arising from quantum-quench (QQ) protocols (instantaneous changes of the Hamiltonian parameters) in many-body systems within their quantum critical regime and in contact with thermal baths, homogeneously coupled to the systems. We consider two classes of QQ protocols. One of them uses the thermal bath to prepare the initial Gibbs state; then, after quenching, the thermal bath is removed and the dynamics of the system is unitary. Wealso address a more complex QQ protocol where the thermal bath is not removed after quenching, thus the quantum evolution is also driven by the interaction with the bath, which may be described by appropriate master equations for the density matrix of the system, where a further relevant time scale, or inverse decay rate, characterizes the system-bath coupling. Under these QQ protocols, the critical system develops out-of-equilibrium scaling behaviors, which extend those forisolated critical systems, by introducing further scaling variables proportional to the temperature and the decay rate associated with the thermal baths. These out-of-equilibrium scaling behaviors are checked by analyzing QQ protocols within fermionic Kitaev wires, or equivalently quantum Ising chains, supplemented with a particular modelization of thermal bath that guarantees the asymptotic thermalization within the Lindblad master equation for the dynamics of open systems., Comment: 14 pages

We investigate some general properties of linear gauge fixings and gauge-field correlators in lattice models with noncompact U(1) gauge symmetry. In particular, we show that, even in the presence of a gauge fixing, some gauge-field observables (like the photon-mass operator) are not well-defined, depending on the specific gauge fixing adopted and on its implementation. Numerical tests carried out in the three-dimensional noncompact lattice Abelian Higgs model fully support the analytical results and provide further insights., Comment: 14 pages, 7 pdf figures

We consider quantum and classical first-order transitions, at equilibrium and under out-of-equilibrium conditions, mainly focusing on quench and slow quasi-adiabatic protocols. For these phenomena, we review the finite-size scaling theory appropriate to describe the general features of the large-scale, and long-time for dynamic phenomena, behavior of finite-size systems., Comment: review article, 25 pages. To be published in "50 years of the renormalization group, dedicated to the memory of Michael. E. Fisher", edited by Amnon Aharony, Ora Entin-Wohlman, David Huse, and Leo Radzihovsky (World Scientific, Singapore)

We study the critical behavior of the three-dimensional (3D) Gross-Neveu (GN) model with $N_f$ Dirac fermionic flavors and quartic interactions, at the chiral ${\mathbb Z}_2$ transition in the massless ${\mathbb Z}_2$-symmetric limit. For this purpose, we consider a lattice GN model with staggered Kogut-Susskind fermions and a scalar field coupled to the scalar bilinear fermionic operator, which effectively realizes the attractive four-fermion interaction. We perform Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for $N_f=4,8,12,16$. By means of finite-size scaling analyses of the numerical data, we obtain estimates of the critical exponents that are compared with the large-$N_f$ predictions obtained using the continuum GN field theory. We observe a substantial agreement. This confirms that lattice GN models with staggered fermions provide a nonpertubative realization of the GN quantum field theory, even though the lattice interactions explicitly break the flavor ${\rm U}(N_f)\otimes {\rm U}(N_f)$ symmetry of the GN field theory, which is only recovered in the critical limit., Comment: 11 pages

We study the effects of symmetry-breaking perturbations in the out-of-equilibrium quantum dynamics of many-body systems slowly driven across a continuous quantum transition (CQT) by a time-dependent symmetry-preserving parameter. For this purpose, we analize the out-of-equilibrium dynamics arising from generalized Kibble-Zurek (KZ) protocols, within a dynamic renormalization-group framework allowing for finite-size systems. We show that the time dependence of generic observables develops an out-of-equilibrium finite-size scaling (FSS) behavior, arising from the interplay between the time scale $t_s$ of the parameter variations in the KZ protocol, the size $L$ of the system, and the strength $h$ of the symmetry-breaking perturbation, in the limit of large $t_s$ and $L$. Moreover, scaling arguments based on the first-order adiabatic approximation of slow variations in quantum systems allow us to characterize the approach to the adiabatic regimes for some limits of the model parameters (for example when we take $t_s\to \infty$ before $L\to\infty$), predicting asymptotic power-law suppressions of the nonadiabatic behaviors in the adiabatic limits. This out-of-equilibrium FSS is supported by numerical analyses for the paradigmatic quantum Ising chain along generalized KZ protocols, with a time-dependent transverse field crossing its CQT, in the presence of a static longitudinal field breaking its $Z_2$ symmetry., Comment: 13 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2205.08333, some results are added

We discuss the quantum dynamics of an isolated composite system consisting of weakly interacting many-body subsystems. We focus on one of the subsystems, S, and study the dependence of its quantum correlations and decoherence rate on the state of the weakly-coupled complementary part E, which represents the environment. As a theoretical laboratory, we consider a composite system made of two stacked quantum Ising chains, locally and homogeneously weakly coupled. One of the chains is identified with the subsystem S under scrutiny, and the other one with the environment E. We investigate the behavior of S at equilibrium, when the global system is in its ground state, and under out-of-equilibrium conditions, when the global system evolves unitarily after a soft quench of the coupling between S and E. When S develops quantum critical correlations in the weak-coupling regime, the associated scaling behavior crucially depends on the quantum state of E whether it is characterized by short-range correlations (analogous to those characterizing disordered phases in closed systems), algebraically decaying correlations (typical of critical systems), or long-range correlations (typical of magnetized ordered phases). In particular, different scaling behaviors, depending on the state of E, are observed for the decoherence of the subsystem S, as demonstrated by the different power-law divergences of the decoherence susceptibility that quantifies the sensitivity of the coherence to the interaction with E., Comment: 19 pages

We address the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of many-body systems subject to slow time-dependent round-trip protocols across quantum and classical (thermal) phase transitions. We consider protocols where one relevant parameter w is slowly changed across its critical point wc = 0, linearly in time with a large time scale ts, from wi < 0 to wf > 0 and then back to wi < 0, thus entailing multiple passages through the critical point. Analogously to the one-way Kibble-Zurek protocols across a critical point, round-trip protocols develop dynamic scaling behaviors at both classical and quantum transitions, put forward within renormalization-group frameworks. The scaling scenario is analyzed within some paradigmatic models undergoing quantum and classical transitions belonging to the two-dimensional Ising universality class, such as one-dimensional quantum Ising models and fermionic wires, and two-dimensional classical Ising models (supplemented with a purely relaxational dynamics). While the dynamic scaling frameworks are similar for classical and quantum systems, substantial differences emerge due to the different nature of their dynamics, which is purely relaxational for classical systems (implying thermalization in the large-time limit at fixed model parameters), and unitary in the case of quantum systems. In particular, when the critical point separates two gapped (short-ranged) phases and the extreme value wf > 0 is kept fixed in the large-ts limit of the round-trip protocol, we observe hysteresis-like scenarios in classical systems, while quantum systems do not apparently develop a sufficiently robust scaling limit along the return way, due to the presence of rapidly oscillating relative phases among the relevant quantum states., Comment: 24 pages, Phys. Rev. B in press

We study the post-quench unitary dynamics of a quantum sunburst spin model, composed of a transverse-field quantum Ising ring which is suddenly coupled to a set of independent external qubits along the longitudinal direction, in a way to respect a residual translation invariance and the Ising $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry. Starting from the different equilibrium quantum phases of the system, we characterize the decoherence and the energy storage in the external qubits, which may be interpreted as a probing apparatus for the inner Ising ring. Our results show that, in proximity of the quantum transitions of the Ising ring, either first-order or continuous, it is possible to put forward dynamic FSS frameworks which unveil peculiar scaling regimes, depending on the way in which the large-size limit is taken: either by fixing the number $n$ of probing qubits, or their interspace distance $b$. In any case, the dependence of the various observables on $n$ can be reabsorbed into a redefinition of the quench parameter by a $\sqrt{n}$ prefactor. We also address the role of a nearest-neighbor coupling between the external qubits., Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures

We investigate the phase diagram and the nature of the phase transitions of three-dimensional lattice gauge-Higgs models obtained by gauging the Z_N subgroup of the global Z_q invariance group of the Z_q clock model (N is a submultiple of q). The phase diagram is generally characterized by the presence of three different phases, separated by three distinct transition lines. We investigate the critical behavior along the two transition lines characterized by the ordering of the scalar field. Along the transition line separating the disordered-confined phase from the ordered-deconfined phase, standard arguments within the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson framework predict that the behavior is the same as in a generic ferromagnetic model with Z_p global symmetry, p being the ratio q/N. Thus, continuous transitions belong to the Ising and to the O(2) universality class for p=2 and p>3, respectively, while for p=3 only first-order transitions are possible. The results of Monte Carlo simulations confirm these predictions. There is also a second transition line, which separates two phases in which gauge fields are essentially ordered. Along this line we observe the same critical behavior as in the Z_q clock model, as it occurs in the absence of gauge fields., Comment: 14 pages

We study the ground-state properties of a quantum "sunburst model", composed of a quantum Ising spin-ring in a transverse field, symmetrically coupled to a set of ancillary isolated qubits, to maintain a residual translation invariance and also a $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry. The large-size limit is taken in two different ways: either by keeping the distance between any two neighboring ancillary qubits fixed, or by fixing their number while increasing the ring size. Substantially different regimes emerge, depending on the various Hamiltonian parameters: for small energy scale $\delta$ of the ancillary subsystem and small ring-qubits interaction $\kappa$, we observe rapid and nonanalytic changes in proximity of the quantum transitions of the Ising ring, both first-order and continuous, which can be carefully controlled by exploiting renormalization-group and finite-size scaling frameworks. Smoother behaviors are instead observed when keeping $\delta>0$ fixed and in the Ising disordered phase. The effect of an increasing number $n$ of ancillary spins turns out to scale proportionally to $\sqrt{n}$ for sufficiently large values of $n$., Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures. Corrected fig. 10 and few misprints

We investigate the phase diagram and the nature of the phase transitions in a three-dimensional model characterized by a global SU($N$) symmetry, a local U(1) symmetry, and the absence of monopoles. It represents a natural generalization of the gauge monopole-free (MF) CP$^{N-1}$ model, in which the fixed-length constraint (London limit) is relaxed. We have performed Monte Carlo simulations for $N=2$ and 25, observing a finite-temperature transition in both cases, related to the condensation of a local gauge-invariant order parameter. For $N=2$ results for the MF model are consistent with a weak first-order transition. A continuous transition would be possible only if scaling corrections were anomalously large. For $N=25$ the results in the general MF model are also consistent with a first-order transition, that becomes weaker as the size of the field-length fluctuations decreases., Comment: 19 pages, 10 eps figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2003.14075

We investigate under which conditions the three-dimensional (3D) multicomponent Abelian-Higgs (AH) field theory (scalar electrodynamics) is the continuum limit of statistical lattice gauge models, i.e., when it characterizes the universal behavior at critical transitions occurring in these models. We perform Monte Carlo simulations of the lattice AH model with compact gauge fields and $N$-component scalar fields with charge $q\ge 2$ for $N=15$ and 25. Finite-size scaling analyses of the Monte Carlo data show that the transitions along the line separating the confined and deconfined phases are continuous and that they belong to the same universality class for any $q\ge 2$. Moreover, they are in the same universality class as the transitions in the lattice AH model with noncompact gauge fields along the Coulomb-to-Higgs transition line. We finally argue that these critical behaviors are described by the stable charged fixed point of the renormalization-group flow of the 3D AH field theory., Comment: 11 pages, 10 eps figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2010.06311, arXiv:2011.04503

We study the effects of symmetry-breaking defects at continuous quantum transitions (CQTs), which may arise from localized external fields coupled to the order-parameter operator. The problem is addressed within renormalization-group (RG) and finite-size scaling frameworks. We consider the paradigmatic one-dimensional quantum Ising models at their CQT, in the presence of defects which break the global ${\mathbb Z}_2$ symmetry. We show that such defects can give rise to notable critical crossover regimes where the ground-state properties experience substantial and rapid changes, from symmetric conditions to symmetry-breaking boundaries. An effective characterization of these crossover phenomena driven by defects is achieved by analyzing the ground-state fidelity associated with small changes of the defect strength. Within the critical crossover regime, the fidelity susceptibility shows a power-law divergence when increasing the system size, related to the RG dimension of the defect strength; in contrast, outside the critical defect regime, it remains finite. We support the RG scaling arguments with numerical results., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures

We address the effects of dissipative defects giving rise to a localized particle loss, in one-dimensional non-interacting lattice fermionic gases confined within a region of size $\ell$. We consider homogeneous systems within hard walls and inhomogeneous systems where the particles are trapped by space-dependent external potentials, such as harmonic traps. We model the dissipative particle-decay mechanism by Lindblad master equations governing the time evolution of the density matrix. The resulting quantum dynamics is analyzed in protocols starting from the ground state of the Hamiltonian for $N_0$ particles, then evolving under the effect of one dissipative particle-loss defect, for example at the center of the system. We study the interplay between time, size $\ell$ and the number $N_0$ of initial particles, considering two different situations: (i) fixed number $N_0$ of initial particles; (ii) fixed ratio $N_0/\ell$, corresponding to the thermodynamic limit of the initial equilibrium state. We show that the quantum evolutions of the particle number and density develop various asymptotic and intermediate dynamic regimes, and nontrivial large-time states when the dissipative mechanism acts at the center of the system., Comment: 16 pages

We investigate the multicritical behavior of the three-dimensional Z_2 gauge Higgs model, at the multicritical point (MCP) of its phase diagram, where one first-order transition line and two continuous Ising-like transition lines meet. The duality properties of the model determine some features of the multicritical behavior at the MCP located along the self-dual line. Moreover, we argue that the system develops a multicritical XY behavior at the MCP, which is controlled by the stable XY fixed point of the three-dimensional multicritical Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson field theory with two competing scalar fields associated with the continuous Z_2 transition lines meeting at the MCP. This implies an effective enlargement of the symmetry of the multicritical modes at the MCP, to the continuous group O(2). We also provide some numerical results to support the multicritical XY scenario., Comment: 10 pages

We address the interplay between local and global symmetries by analyzing the continuum limit of two-dimensional multicomponent scalar lattice gauge theories, endowed by non-Abelian local and global invariance. These theories are asymptotically free. By exploiting Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling techniques, we provide numerical results concerning the universal behavior of such models in the critical regime. Our results support the conjecture that two-dimensional multiflavor scalar models have the same continuum limit as the $\sigma$-models associated with symmetric spaces that have the same global symmetry., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, proceeding for The 38th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, LATTICE2021, 26th-30th July, 2021, Zoom/Gather@Massachusetts Institute of Technology

We consider the role that gauge symmetry breaking terms play on the continuum limit of gauge theories in three dimensions. As a paradigmatic example we consider scalar electrodynamics in which $N_f$ complex scalar fields interact with a U(1) gauge field. We discuss under which conditions a gauge-symmetry breaking term destabilizes the critical behavior (continuum limit) of the gauge-invariant theory. We find that the gauge symmetry is robust at transitions at which gauge fields are not critical. At charged transitions, where gauge fields are critical, gauge symmetry is lost as soon as the perturbation is added., Comment: 8 pages, 1 pdf figure, proceeding for The 38th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, LATTICE2021, 26th-30th July, 2021, Zoom/Gather@Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Universal features of continuous phase transitions can be investigated by studying the $\phi^4$ field theory with the corresponding global symmetry breaking pattern. When gauge symmetries are present, the same technique is usually applied to a gauge-invariant order parameter field, as in the Pisarski-Wilczek analysis of the QCD chiral phase transition. Gauge fields are thus assumed to be irrelevant in the effective critical model, a fact that is however far from trivial. We will investigate the validity of this approach using three-dimensional scalar lattice models with non-abelian global and local symmetries, for which critical exponents and scaling functions can be numerically determined with high accuracy., Comment: proceeding for The 38th International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory, LATTICE2021, 26th-30th July, 2021, Zoom/Gather@Massachusetts Institute of Technology

We consider three-dimensional lattice SU(Nc) gauge theories with degenerate multicomponent (Nf>1) complex scalar fields that transform under the fundamental representation of the gauge SU(Nc) group and of the global U(Nf) invariance group, interacting with the most general quartic potential compatible with the global (flavor) and gauge (color) symmetries. We investigate the phase diagrams, identifying the low-temperature Higgs phases and their global and gauge symmetries, and the critical behaviors along the different transition lines. In particular, we address the role of the quartic scalar potential, which determines the Higgs phases and the corresponding symmetry-breaking patterns. Our study is based on the analysis of the minimum-energy configurations and on numerical Monte Carlo simulations. Moreover, we investigate whether some of the transitions observed in the lattice model can be related to the behavior of the renormalization-group flow of the continuum field theory with the same symmetries and field content around its stable charged fixed points. For Nc=2, numerical results are consistent with the existence of charged critical behaviors for Nf > Nf*, with 20 < Nf* < 40., Comment: 18 pages

We consider three-dimensional lattice SU($N_c$) gauge theories with multiflavor ($N_f>1$) scalar fields in the adjoint representation. We investigate their phase diagram, identify the different Higgs phases with their gauge-symmetry pattern, and determine the nature of the transition lines. In particular, we study the role played by the quartic scalar potential and by the gauge-group representation in determining the Higgs phases and the global and gauge symmetry-breaking patterns characterizing the different transitions. The general arguments are confirmed by numerical analyses of Monte Carlo results for two representative models that are expected to have qualitatively different phase diagrams and Higgs phases. We consider the model with $N_c = 3$, $N_f=2$ and with $N_c=2$, $N_f= 4$. This second case is interesting phenomenologically to describe some features of cuprate superconductors., Comment: 17 pages, 20 eps figures

We study the effects of dissipative boundaries in many-body systems at continuous quantum transitions, when the parameters of the Hamiltonian driving the unitary dynamics are close to their critical values. As paradigmatic models, we consider fermionic wires subject to dissipative interactions at the boundaries, associated with pumping or loss of particles. They are induced by couplings with a Markovian baths, so that the evolution of the system density matrix can be described by a Lindblad master equation. We study the quantum evolution arising from variations of the Hamiltonian and dissipation parameters, starting at t=0 from the ground state of the critical Hamiltonian. Two different dynamic regimes emerge: (i) an early-time regime for times t ~ L, where the competition between coherent and incoherent drivings develops a dynamic finite-size scaling, obtained by extending the scaling framework describing the coherent critical dynamics of the closed system, to allow for the boundary dissipation; (ii) a large-time regime for t ~ L^3 whose dynamic scaling describes the late quantum evolution leading to the t->infty stationary states., Comment: 13 pages

We study the effects of gauge-symmetry breaking (GSB) perturbations in three-dimensional lattice gauge theories with scalar fields. We study this issue at transitions in which gauge correlations are not critical and the gauge symmetry only selects the gauge-invariant scalar degrees of freedom that become critical. A paradigmatic model in which this behavior is realized is the lattice CP(1) model or, more generally, the lattice Abelian-Higgs model with two-component complex scalar fields and compact gauge fields. We consider this model in the presence of a linear GSB perturbation. The gauge symmetry turns out to be quite robust with respect to the GSB perturbation: the continuum limit is gauge-invariant also in the presence of a finite small GSB term. We also determine the phase diagram of the model. It has one disordered phase and two phases that are tensor and vector ordered, respectively. They are separated by continuous transition lines, which belong to the O(3), O(4), and O(2) vector universality classes, and which meet at a multicritical point. We remark that the behavior at the CP(1) gauge-symmetric critical point substantially differs from that at transitions in which gauge correlations become critical, for instance at transitions in the noncompact lattice Abelian-Higgs model that are controlled by the charged fixed point: in this case the behavior is extremely sensitive to GSB perturbations., Comment: 14 pages

We study perturbations that break gauge symmetries in lattice gauge theories. As a paradigmatic model, we consider the three-dimensional Abelian-Higgs (AH) model with an N-component scalar field and a noncompact gauge field, which is invariant under U(1) gauge and SU(N) transformations. We consider gauge-symmetry breaking perturbations that are quadratic in the gauge field, such as a photon mass term, and determine their effect on the critical behavior of the gauge-invariant model, focusing mainly on the continuous transitions associated with the charged fixed point of the AH field theory. We discuss their relevance and compute the (gauge-dependent) exponents that parametrize the departure from the critical behavior (continuum limit) of the gauge-invariant model. We also address the critical behavior of lattice AH models with broken gauge symmetry, showing an effective enlargement of the global symmetry, from U(N) to O(2N), which reflects a peculiar cyclic renormalization-group flow in the space of the lattice AH parameters and of the photon mass., Comment: 8 pages, few changes, to be published in Phys Rev Lett

We consider two-dimensional lattice SU($N_c$) gauge theories with $N_f$ real scalar fields transforming in the adjoint representation of the gauge group and with a global O($N_f$) invariance. Focusing on systems with $N_f\ge 3$, we study their zero-temperature limit, to understand under which conditions a continuum limit exists, and to investigate the nature of the associated quantum field theory. Extending previous analyses, we address the role that the gauge-group representation and the quartic scalar potential play in determining the nature of the continuum limit (when it exists). Our results further corroborate the conjecture that the continuum limit of two-dimensional lattice gauge models with multiflavor scalar fields, when it exists, is associated with a $\sigma$ model defined on a symmetric space that has the same global symmetry as the lattice model., Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures

The many-body physics at quantum phase transitions shows a subtle interplay between quantum and thermal fluctuations, emerging in the low-temperature limit. In this review, we first give a pedagogical introduction to the equilibrium behavior of systems in that context, whose scaling framework is essentially developed by exploiting the quantum-to-classical mapping and the renormalization-group theory of critical phenomena at continuous phase transitions. Then we specialize to protocols entailing the out-of-equilibrium quantum dynamics, such as instantaneous quenches and slow passages across quantum transitions. These are mostly discussed within dynamic scaling frameworks, obtained by appropriately extending the equilibrium scaling laws. We review phenomena at first-order quantum transitions as well, whose peculiar scaling behaviors are characterized by an extreme sensitivity to the boundary conditions, giving rise to exponentials or power laws for the same bulk system. In the last part, we cover aspects related to the effects of dissipative interactions with an environment, through suitable generalizations of the dynamic scaling at quantum transitions. The presentation is limited to issues related to, and controlled by, the quantum transition developed by closed many-body systems, treating the dissipation as a perturbation of the critical regimes, as for the temperature at the zero-temperature quantum transition. We focus on the physical conditions giving rise to a nontrivial interplay between critical modes and various dissipative mechanisms, generally realized when the involved mechanism excites only the low-energy modes of the quantum transitions., Comment: Review paper, 138 pages. Final version, corrected typos

We consider three-dimensional higher-charge multicomponent lattice Abelian-Higgs (AH) models, in which a compact U(1) gauge field is coupled to an N-component complex scalar field with integer charge q, so that they have local U(1) and global SU(N) symmetries. We discuss the dependence of the phase diagram, and the nature of the phase transitions, on the charge q of the scalar field and the number N>1 of components. We argue that the phase diagram of higher-charge models presents three different phases, related to the condensation of gauge-invariant bilinear scalar fields breaking the global SU(N) symmetry, and to the confinement/deconfinement of external charge-one particles. The transition lines separating the different phases show different features, which also depend on the number N of components. Therefore, the phase diagram of higher-charge models substantially differs from that of unit-charge models, which undergo only transitions driven by the breaking of the global SU(N) symmetry, while the gauge correlations do not play any relevant role. We support the conjectured scenario with numerical results, based on finite-size scaling analyses of Monte Carlo simuations for doubly-charged unit-length scalar fields with small and large number of components, i.e. N=2 and N=25., Comment: 15 pages

We study the phase diagram and critical behavior of a two-dimensional lattice SO($N_c$) gauge theory ($N_c \ge 3$) with two scalar flavors, obtained by partially gauging a maximally O($2N_c$) symmetric scalar model. The model is invariant under local SO($N_c$) and global O(2) transformations. We show that, for any $N_c \ge 3$, it undergoes finite-temperature Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transitions, associated with the global Abelian O(2) symmetry. The transition separates a high-temperature disordered phase from a low-temperature spin-wave phase where correlations decay algebraically (quasi-long range order). The critical properties at the finite-temperature BKT transition and in the low-temperature spin-wave phase are determined by means of a finite-size scaling analysis of Monte Carlo data., Comment: 7 pages, 9 eps figures

We consider a noncompact lattice formulation of the three-dimensional electrodynamics with $N$-component complex scalar fields, i.e., the lattice Abelian-Higgs model with noncompact gauge fields. For any $N\ge 2$, the phase diagram shows three phases differing for the behavior of the scalar-field and gauge-field correlations: the Coulomb phase (short-ranged scalar and long-ranged gauge correlations), the Higgs phase (condensed scalar-field and gapped gauge correlations), and the molecular phase (condensed scalar-field and long-ranged gauge correlations). They are separated by three transition lines meeting at a multicritical point. Their nature depends on the coexisting phases and on the number $N$ of components of the scalar field. In particular, the Coulomb-to-molecular transition line (where gauge correlations are irrelevant) is associated with the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson $\Phi^4$ theory sharing the same SU($N$) global symmetry but without explicit gauge fields. On the other hand, the Coulomb-to-Higgs transition line (where gauge correlations are relevant) turns out to be described by the continuum Abelian-Higgs field theory with explicit gauge fields. Our numerical study is based on finite-size scaling analyses of Monte Carlo simulations with $C^*$ boundary conditions (appropriate for lattice systems with noncompact gauge variables, unlike periodic boundary conditions), for several values of $N$, i.e., $N=2, 4, 10, 15$, and $25$. The numerical results agree with the renormalization-group predictions of the continuum field theories. In particular, the Coulomb-to-Higgs transitions are continuous for $N\gtrsim 10$, in agreement with the predictions of the Abelian-Higgs field theory., Comment: 19 pages, 24 eps figures

We investigate the effects of dissipation on the quantum dynamics of many-body systems at quantum transitions, especially considering those of the first order. This issue is studied within the paradigmatic one-dimensional quantum Ising model. We analyze the out-of-equilibrium dynamics arising from quenches of the Hamiltonian parameters and dissipative mechanisms modeled by a Lindblad master equation, with either local or global spin operators acting as dissipative operators. Analogously to what happens at continuous quantum transitions, we observe a regime where the system develops a nontrivial dynamic scaling behavior, which is realized when the dissipation parameter $u$ (globally controlling the decay rate of the dissipation within the Lindblad framework) scales as the energy difference $\Delta$ of the lowest levels of the Hamiltonian, i.e., $u\sim \Delta$. However, unlike continuous quantum transitions where $\Delta$ is power-law suppressed, at first-order quantum transitions $\Delta$ is exponentially suppressed with increasing the system size (provided the boundary conditions do not favor any particular phase)., Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Final version

We study the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of one-dimensional quantum Ising-like systems, arising from sudden quenches of the Hamiltonian parameter $g$ driving quantum transitions between disordered and ordered phases. In particular, we consider quenches to values of $g$ around the critical value $g_c$, and mainly address the question whether, and how, the quantum transition leaves traces in the evolution of the transverse and longitudinal magnetizations during such a deep out-of-equilibrium dynamics. We shed light on the emergence of singularities in the thermodynamic infinite-size limit, likely related to the integrability of the model. Finite systems in periodic and open boundary conditions develop peculiar power-law finite-size scaling laws related to revival phenomena, but apparently unrelated to the quantum transition, because their main features are generally observed in quenches to generic values of $g$. We also investigate the effects of dissipative interactions with an environment, modeled by a Lindblad equation with local decay and pumping dissipation operators within the quadratic fermionic model obtainable by a Jordan-Wigner mapping. Dissipation tends to suppress the main features of the unitary dynamics of closed systems. We finally address the effects of integrability breaking, due to further lattice interactions, such as in anisotropic next-to-nearest neighbor Ising (ANNNI) models. We show that some qualitative features of the post-quench dynamics persist, in particular the different behaviors when quenching to quantum ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases, and the revival phenomena due to the finite size of the system., Comment: 19 pages, 24 figures, corrected misprints

We address the interplay between global and local gauge nonabelian symmetries in lattice gauge theories with multicomponent scalar fields. We consider two-dimensional lattice scalar nonabelian gauge theories with a local SO(Nc) (Nc >= 3) and a global O(Nf) invariance, obtained by partially gauging a maximally O(Nf x Nc)-symmetric multicomponent scalar model. Correspondingly, the scalar fields belong to the coset S(Nf Nc-1)/SO(Nc), where S(N) is the N-dimensional sphere. In agreement with the Mermin-Wagner theorem, these lattice SO(Nc) gauge models with Nf >= 3 do not have finite-temperature transitions related to the breaking of the global nonabelian O(Nf) symmetry. However, in the zero-temperature limit they show a critical behavior characterized by a correlation length that increases exponentially with the inverse temperature, similarly to nonlinear O(N) sigma models. Their universal features are investigated by numerical finite-size scaling methods. The results show that the asymptotic low-temperature behavior belongs to the universality class of the two-dimensional RP(Nf-1) model., Comment: 8 pages. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2001.07386

We investigate the low-temperature behavior of two-dimensional (2D) RP$^{N-1}$ models, characterized by a global O($N$) symmetry and a local ${\mathbb Z}_2$ symmetry. For $N=3$ we perform large-scale simulations of four different 2D lattice models: two standard lattice models and two different constrained models. We also consider a constrained mixed O(3)-RP$^2$ model for values of the parameters such that vector correlations are always disordered. We find that all these models show the same finite-size scaling (FSS) behavior, and therefore belong to the same universality class. However, these FSS curves differ from those computed in the 2D O(3) $\sigma$ model, suggesting the existence of a distinct 2D RP$^2$ universality class. We also performed simulations for $N=4$, and the corresponding FSS results also support the existence of an RP$^3$ universality class, different from the O(4) one., Comment: 10 pages, 9 eps figures, comments added

We address the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of a many-body system when one of its Hamiltonian parameters is driven across a first-order quantum transition (FOQT). In particular, we consider systems subject to fixed boundary conditions, favoring one of the two phases separated by the FOQT: more precisely, boundary conditions that favor the same magnetized phase (EFBC) or opposite phases (OFBC) at the two ends of the chain. These issues are investigated within the paradigmatic one-dimensional quantum Ising model, in which FOQTs are driven by the longitudinal magnetic field h. We study the dynamic behavior for an instantaneous quench and for a protocol in which h is slowly varied across the FOQT. We develop a dynamic finite-size scaling theory for both EFBC and OFBC, which displays some remarkable differences with respect to the case of neutral boundary conditions. The corresponding relevant time scale shows a qualitative different size dependence in the two cases: it increases exponentially with the size in the case of EFBC, and as a power of the size in the case of OFBC., Comment: 11 pages

We investigate the phase diagram, and the nature of the phase transitions, of three-dimensional monopole-free CP(N-1) models, characterized by a global U(N) symmetry and a U(1) gauge symmetry, and the absence of monopoles. We present numerical analyses based on Monte Carlo simulations for N=2,4,10,15, and 25. We observe a finite-temperature transition in all cases, related to the condensation of a local gauge-invariant order parameter. For N=2 we are unable to draw any definite conclusion on the nature of the transition. The results may be interpreted by either a very weak first-order transition or a continuous transition with anomalously large scaling corrections. However, the results allow us to exclude that the system develops the critical behavior of the O(3) vector universality class, as it occurs in the standard three-dimensional CP(1) model without monopole suppression. For N=4,10,15, the transition is of first order, and significantly weaker than that observed in the presence of monopoles. For N=25 the results are consistent with a conventional continuous transition. We compare our results with the existing literature and with the predictions of different field-theory approaches. Our results are consistent with the scenario in which the model undergoes continuous transitions for large values of N, in agreement with analytic large-N calculations., Comment: 13 pages

We investigate the phase diagram and finite-temperature transitions of three-dimensional scalar SO(Nc) gauge theories with Nf scalar flavors. These models are constructed starting from a maximally O(N)-symmetric multicomponent scalar model (N = Nc Nf), whose symmetry is partially gauged to obtain an SO(Nc) gauge theory, with O(Nf) or U(Nf) global symmetry for Nc > 2 or Nc = 2, respectively. These systems undergo finite-temperature transitions, where the global symmetry is broken. Their nature is discussed using the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson (LGW) approach, based on a gauge-invariant order parameter, and the continuum scalar SO(Nc) gauge theory. The LGW approach predicts that the transition is of first order for Nf > 2. For Nf = 2 the transition is predicted to be continuous: it belongs to the O(3) vector universality class for Nc=2 and to the XY universality class for any Nc > 2. We perform numerical simulations for Nc = 3 and Nf = 2,3. The numerical results are in agreement with the LGW predictions., Comment: 9 pages, we corrected a few misprints of the published version

We study the quantum dynamics of many-body systems, in the presence of dissipation due to the interaction with the environment, under Kibble-Zurek (KZ) protocols in which one Hamiltonian parameter is slowly, and linearly in time, driven across the critical value of a zero-temperature quantum transition. In particular we address whether, and under which conditions, open quantum systems can develop a universal dynamic scaling regime similar to that emerging in closed systems. We focus on a class of dissipative mechanisms whose dynamics can be reliably described through a Lindblad master equation governing the time evolution of the system's density matrix. We argue that a dynamic scaling limit exists even in the presence of dissipation, whose main features are controlled by the universality class of the quantum transition. This requires a particular tuning of the dissipative interactions, whose decay rate $u$ should scale as $u\sim t_s^{-\kappa}$ with increasing the time scale $t_s$ of the KZ protocol, where the exponent $\kappa = z/(y_\mu+z)$ depends on the dynamic exponent $z$ and the renormalization-group dimension $y_\mu$ of the driving Hamiltonian parameter. Our dynamic scaling arguments are supported by numerical results for KZ protocols applied to a one-dimensional fermionic wire undergoing a quantum transition in the same universality class of the quantum Ising chain, in the presence of dissipative mechanisms which include local pumping, decay, and dephasing., Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures

We consider a dynamic protocol for quantum many-body systems, which enables to study the interplay between unitary Hamiltonian driving and random local projective measurements. While the unitary dynamics tends to increase entanglement, local measurements tend to disentangle, thus favoring decoherence. Close to a quantum transition where the system develops critical correlations with diverging length scales, the competition of the two drivings is analyzed within a dynamic scaling framework, allowing us to identify a regime (dynamic scaling limit) where the two mechanisms develop a nontrivial interplay. We perform a numerical analysis of this protocol in a measurement-driven Ising chain, which supports the scaling laws we put forward. The local measurement process generally tends to suppress quantum correlations, even in the dynamic scaling limit. The power law of the decay of the quantum correlations turns out to be enhanced at the quantum transition., Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures

We study the role that global and local nonabelian symmetries play in two-dimensional lattice gauge theories with multicomponent scalar fields. We start from a maximally O($M$)-symmetric multicomponent scalar model, Its symmetry is partially gauged to obtain an SU($N_c$) gauge theory (scalar chromodynamics) with global U$(N_f)$ (for $N_c\ge 3$) or Sp($N_f$) symmetry (for $N_c=2$), where $N_f>1$ is the number of flavors. Correspondingly, the fields belong to the coset $S^M$/SU($N_c$) where $S^M$ is the $M$-dimensional sphere and $M=2 N_f N_c$. In agreement with the Mermin-Wagner theorem, the system is always disordered at finite temperature and a critical behavior only develops in the zero-temperature limit. Its universal features are investigated by numerical finite-size scaling methods. The results show that the asymptotic low-temperature behavior belongs to the universality class of the 2D CP$^{N_f-1}$ field theory for $N_c>2$, and to that of the 2D Sp($N_f$) field theory for $N_c=2$. These universality classes correspond to 2D statistical field theories associated with symmetric spaces that are invariant under Sp($N_f$) transformations for $N_c=2$ and under SU($N_f$) for $N_c > 2$. These symmetry groups are the same invariance groups of scalar chromodynamics, apart from a U(1) flavor symmetry that is present for $N_f \ge N_c > 2$, which does not play any role in determining the asymptotic behavior of the model., Comment: 12 pages, 12 eps figures