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Symmetry Enriched Quantum Spin Ice With No Sign Problem

Quantum spin liquid (QSL) is an exotic phase of matter and provides an interesting example of emergent non-locality. Even though many materials have been proposed as candidates for QSLs, there is no direct confirmation of QSLs in any of these systems. Quantum spin ice (QSI) is a physical realization of U(1) QSLs on the pyrochlore lattice.

We consider a class of electron systems in which dipolar-octupolar Kramers doublets arise on the pyrochlore lattice. In the localized limit, the Kramers doublets are described by the effective spin 1/2 pseudospins. The most general nearest-neighbor exchange model between these pseudospins is the XYZ model. We show that this XYZ model exhibit two distinct symmetry enriched QSI phases, that we dub dipolar QSI and octupolar QSI. This XYZ model is absent from the notorious sign problem for a quantum Monte Carlo simmulation in a large parameter space. We also discuss the potential relevance to real material systems.