Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Stabilizer disentangling of conformal field theories

  Martina Frau, Poetri Sonya Tarabunga, Mario Collura, Emanuele Tirrito, Marcello Dalmonte

  SciPost Phys. 18, 165 (2025) · published 22 May 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Understanding how entanglement can be reduced through simple operations is crucial for both classical and quantum algorithms. We investigate the entanglement properties of lattice models hosting conformal field theories cooled via local Clifford operations, a procedure we refer to as stabilizer disentangling. We uncover two distinct regimes: a constant gain regime, where disentangling is volume-independent, and a log-gain regime, where disentanglement increases with volume, characterized by a reduced effective central charge. In both cases, disentangling efficiency correlates with the target state magic, with larger magic leading to more effective cooling. The dichotomy between the two cases stems from mutual stabilizer Rényi entropy, which influences the entanglement cooling process. We provide an analytical understanding of such effect in the context of cluster Ising models, that feature disentangling global Clifford operations. Our findings indicate that matrix product states possess subclasses based on the relationship between entanglement and magic, and clarifying the potential of new classes of variational states embedding Clifford dynamics within matrix product states.

  5 citations

• Time-dependent variational Monte Carlo study of the dynamic response of bosons in an optical lattice

  Mathias Gartner, Ferran Mazzanti, Robert E. Zillich

  SciPost Phys. 13, 025 (2022) · published 18 August 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the dynamics of a one-dimensional Bose gas at unit filling in both shallow and deep optical lattices and obtain the dynamic structure factor ${S(k,\omega)}$ by monitoring the linear response to a weak probe pulse. We introduce a new procedure, based on the time-dependent variational Monte Carlo method (tVMC), which allows to evolve the system in real time, using as a variational model a Jastrow-Feenberg wave function that includes pair correlations. Comparison with exact diagonalization results of ${S(k,\omega)}$ obtained on a lattice in the Bose-Hubbard limit shows good agreement of the dispersion relation for sufficiently deep optical lattices, while for shallow lattices we observe the influence of higher Bloch bands. We also investigate non-linear response to strong pulses. From the power spectrum of the density fluctuations we obtain the excitation spectrum, albeit broadened, by higher harmonic generation after a strong pulse with a single low wave number. As a remarkable feature of our simulations we furthermore demonstrate that the full excitation spectrum can be retrieved from the power spectrum of the density fluctuations due to the stochastic noise inherent in any Monte Carlo method, without applying an actual perturbation.

  5 citations

• Intertwining orbital current order and superconductivity in kagome metal

  Hyeok-Jun Yang, Hee Seung Kim, Min Yong Jeong, Yong Baek Kim, Myung Joon Han, SungBin Lee

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 008 (2023) · published 9 February 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The nature of superconductivity in newly discovered kagome materials, $\text{AV}_3\text{Sb}_5$ (A = K, Rb, Cs), has been a subject of intense debate. Recent experiments suggest the presence of orbital current order on top of the charge density wave (CDW) and superconductivity. Since the orbital current order breaks time-reversal symmetry, it may fundamentally affect possible superconducting states. In this work, we investigate the mutual influence between the orbital current order and superconductivity in kagome metal with characteristic van Hove singularity (vHS). By explicitly deriving the Landau-Ginzburg theory, we classify possible orbital current order and superconductivity. It turns out that distinct unconventional superconductivities are expected, depending on the orbital current ordering types. Thus, this information can be used to infer the superconducting order parameter when the orbital current order is identified and vice versa. We also discuss possible experiments that may distinguish such superconducting states coexisting with the orbital current order.

  5 citations

• Crystalline Weyl semimetal phase in Quantum Spin Hall systems under magnetic fields

  Fernando Dominguez, Benedikt Scharf, Ewelina M. Hankiewicz

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 024 (2022) · published 28 April 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate an unconventional topological phase transition that occurs in quantum spin Hall (QSH) systems when applying an external in-plane magnetic field. We show that this transition between QSH and trivial insulator phases is separated by a stable topological gapless phase, which is protected by the combination of particle-hole and reflection symmetries, and thus, we dub it as crystalline Weyl semimetal. We explore the stability of this new phase when particle-hole symmetry breaking terms are present. Especially, we predict a robust unconventional topological phase transition to be visible for materials described by Kane and Mele model even if particle-hole symmetry is significantly broken.

  5 citations

• Improved treatment of dark matter capture in compact stars

  Sandra Robles

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 057 (2023) · published 5 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Compact stellar objects are promising cosmic laboratories to test the nature of dark matter (DM). DM captured by the strong gravitational field of these stellar remnants transfers kinetic energy to the star during the collision. This can have various effects such as anomalous heating of old compact stars. The proper calculation of the DM capture rate is key to derive bounds on DM interactions in any scenario involving DM accretion in a star. We improve former calculations, which rely on approximations, for both white dwarfs (WDs) and neutron stars (NSs). We account for the stellar structure, gravitational focusing, relativistic kinematics, Pauli blocking, realistic form factors, and strong interactions (NSs). Considering DM capture by scattering off either ions or degenerate electrons in WDs, we show that old WDs in DM-rich environments could probe the elusive sub-GeV mass regime for both DM-nucleon and DM-electron scattering. In NSs, DM can be captured via collisions with strongly interacting baryons or relativistic leptons. We project the NS sensitivity to DM-nucleon and DM-lepton scattering cross sections which greatly exceeds that of direct detection experiments, especially for low mass DM.

  5 citations

• Giant spatial anisotropy of magnon Landau damping in altermagnets

  António T. Costa, João C. G. Henriques, Joaquín Fernández-Rossier

  SciPost Phys. 18, 125 (2025) · published 11 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Altermagnets are a new class of magnetic materials with zero net magnetization (like antiferromagnets) but spin-split electronic bands (like ferromagnets) over a fraction of reciprocal space. As in antiferromagnets, magnons in altermagnets come in two flavours, that either add one or remove one unit of spin to the $S=0$ ground state. However, in altermagnets these two magnon modes are non-degenerate along some directions in reciprocal space. Here we show that the lifetime of altermagnetic magnons, due to Landau damping caused by coupling to Stoner modes, has a very strong dependence on both flavour and direction. Strikingly, coupling to Stoner modes leads to a complete suppression of magnon propagation along selected spatial directions. This giant anisotropy will impact electronic, spin, and energy transport properties and may be exploited in spintronic applications.

  5 citations

• MuSun - Muon Capture on the Deuteron

  P. Kammel on behalf of the MuSun collaboration

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 5, 018 (2021) · published 6 September 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The MuSun experiment is a precision measurement of the rate for nuclear muon capture on the deuteron, designed to resolve a long-standing disagreement between experiment and theory, and to determine an important low-energy constant relevant for a variety of weak and strong dynamics. The experiment is based on a novel active target method employing a pure deuterium cryogenic time-projection chamber. The data taking was completed in two main campaigns and the analysis is well advanced. The unique chal- lenges and corresponding strategy of the experiment as well as the status of the analysis are presented.

  5 citations

• Separability and entanglement of resonating valence-bond states

  Gilles Parez, Clément Berthiere, William Witczak-Krempa

  SciPost Phys. 15, 066 (2023) · published 21 August 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate separability and entanglement of Rokhsar-Kivelson (RK) states and resonating valence-bond (RVB) states. These states play a prominent role in condensed matter physics, as they can describe quantum spin liquids and quantum critical states of matter, depending on their underlying lattices. For dimer RK states on arbitrary tileable graphs, we prove the exact separability of the reduced density matrix of $k$ disconnected subsystems, implying the absence of bipartite and multipartite entanglement between the subsystems. For more general RK states with local constraints, we argue separability in the thermodynamic limit, and show that any local RK state has zero logarithmic negativity, even if the density matrix is not exactly separable. In the case of adjacent subsystems, we find an exact expression for the logarithmic negativity in terms of partition functions of the underlying statistical model. For RVB states, we show separability for disconnected subsystems up to exponentially small terms in the distance $d$ between the subsystems, and that the logarithmic negativity is exponentially suppressed with $d$. We argue that separability does hold in the scaling limit, even for arbitrarily small ratio $d/L$, where $L$ is the characteristic size of the subsystems. Our results hold for arbitrary lattices, and encompass a large class of RK and RVB states, which include certain gapped quantum spin liquids and gapless quantum critical systems.

  5 citations

• Many-body quantum dynamics with MCTDH-X

  Paolo Molignini, Sunayana Dutta, Elke Fasshauer

  SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 94 (2025) · published 26 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The lecture notes on "Many-body Quantum Dynamics with MCTDH-X", adapted from the 2023 Heidelberg MCTDH Summer School, provide an in-depth exploration of the Multiconfigurational Time-Dependent Hartree approach for indistinguishable particles. They serve as a comprehensive guide for understanding and utilizing the MCTDH-X software for both bosonic and fermionic systems. The tutorial begins with an introduction to the MCTDH-X software, highlighting its capability to handle various quantum systems, including those with internal degrees of freedom and long-range interactions. The theoretical foundation is then laid out on how to solve the time-dependent and time-independent Schrödinger equations for many-body systems. The workflow section provides practical instructions on setting up and executing simulations using MCTDH-X. Detailed benchmarks against exact solutions are presented, showcasing the accuracy and reliability of the software in ground-state and dynamic simulations. The notes then delve into the dynamics of quantum systems, covering relaxation processes, time evolution, and the analysis of propagation for both bosonic and fermionic particles. The discussion includes the interpretation of various physical quantities such as energy, density distributions, and orbital occupations. Advanced features of MCTDH-X are also explored in the last section, including the calculation of correlation functions and the creation of visualizations through video tutorials. The notes conclude with a Linux/UNIX command cheat sheet, facilitating ease of use for users operating the software on different systems. Overall, these lecture notes provide a valuable resource for researchers and students in the field of quantum dynamics, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance on the use of MCTDH-X for studying complex many-body systems.

  5 citations

• Topological aspects of brane fields: Solitons and higher-form symmetries

  Salvatore D. Pace, Yu Leon Liu

  SciPost Phys. 16, 128 (2024) · published 21 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this note, we classify topological solitons of $n$-brane fields, which are nonlocal fields that describe $n$-dimensional extended objects. We consider a class of $n$-brane fields that formally define a homomorphism from the $n$-fold loop space $\Omega^n X_D$ of spacetime $X_D$ to a space $\mathcal{E}_n$. Examples of such $n$-brane fields are Wilson operators in $n$-form gauge theories. The solitons are singularities of the $n$-brane field, and we classify them using the homotopy theory of ${\mathbb{E}_n}$-algebras. We find that the classification of codimension ${k+1}$ topological solitons with ${k≥ n}$ can be understood using homotopy groups of $\mathcal{E}_n$. In particular, they are classified by ${\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ when ${n>1}$ and by ${\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ modulo a ${\pi_{1-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ action when ${n=0}$ or ${1}$. However, for ${n>2}$, their classification goes beyond the homotopy groups of $\mathcal{E}_n$ when ${k< n}$, which we explore through examples. We compare this classification to $n$-form $\mathcal{E}_n$ gauge theory. We then apply this classification and consider an ${n}$-form symmetry described by the abelian group ${G^{(n)}}$ that is spontaneously broken to ${H^{(n)}\subset G^{(n)}}$, for which the order parameter characterizing this symmetry breaking pattern is an ${n}$-brane field with target space ${\mathcal{E}_n = G^{(n)}/H^{(n)}}$. We discuss this classification in the context of many examples, both with and without 't Hooft anomalies.

  5 citations