Boundary deconfined quantum criticality at transitions between symmetry-protected topological chains

A Deconfined Quantum Critical Point (DQCP) is an exotic non-Landau transition between distinct symmetry-breaking phases, with many 2+1D and 1+1D examples. We show that a DQCP can occur in zero spatial dimensions, as a boundary phase transition of a 1+1D gapless system. Such novel boundary phenomena can occur at phase transitions between distinct symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases, whose protected edge modes are incompatible and compete at criticality. We consider a minimal symmetry class Z₃×Z₃ which protects two non-trivial SPT phases in 1+1D. Tuning between these, we find a critical point with central charge c=8/5 and two stable boundary phases spontaneously breaking one of the Z3 symmetries at the 0+1D edge. Subsequently tuning a single boundary parameter leads to a direct continuous transition -- a 0+1D DQCP, which we show analytically and numerically. Similar to higher-dimensional cases, this DQCP describes a condensation of vortices of one phase acting as order parameters for other. Moreover, we show that it is also a Delocalized Quantum Critical Point, since there is an emergent symmetry mixing boundary and bulk degrees of freedom. This work suggests that studying criticality between non-trivial SPT phases is fertile soil and we discuss how it provides insights into the burgeoning field of gapless SPT phases.