Néel-state to valence-bond-solid transition on the honeycomb lattice: evidence for deconfined criticality

We study a spin-1/2 SU(2) model on the honeycomb lattice with nearest-neighbor antiferromagnetic exchange J that favors Néel order and competing six-spin interactions Q that favor a valence-bond-solid (VBS) state in which the bond energies order at the "columnar" wave vector K=(2π/3,-2π/3). We present quantum Monte Carlo evidence for a direct continuous quantum phase transition between Néel and VBS states, with exponents and logarithmic violations of scaling consistent with those at analogous deconfined critical points on the square lattice. Although this strongly suggests a description in terms of deconfined criticality, the measured threefold anisotropy of the phase of the VBS order parameter shows unusual near-marginal behavior at the critical point.