Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Classifying irreducible fixed points of five scalar fields in perturbation theory

  Junchen Rong, Slava Rychkov

  SciPost Phys. 16, 040 (2024) · published 1 February 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Classifying perturbative fixed points near upper critical dimensions plays an important role in understanding the space of conformal field theories and critical phases of matter. In this work, we consider perturbative fixed points of N=5 scalar bosons coupled with quartic interactions preserving an arbitrary subgroup $G\subset O(5)$. We perform an exhaustive algorithmic search over the symmetry groups G which are irreducible and satisfy the Landau condition, so that the fixed point can be reached by fine-tuning a single mass term and there is no need to tune the cubic couplings. We also impose stability of the RG flow in the space of quartic couplings, and reality. We thus prove that there exist no new stable fixed points in d=4-$\epsilon$ dimensions beyond the two known ones: namely the O(5) nvariant fixed point and the Cubic(5) fixed point. This work is a continuation of the classification of such fixed points with N=4 scalars by Toledano, Michel, Toledano and Brézin in 1985 [Phys. Rev. B 31, 7171 (1985)].

  1 citation

• The geometry of Casimir W-algebras

  Raphaël Belliard, Bertrand Eynard, Sylvain Ribault

  SciPost Phys. 5, 051 (2018) · published 23 November 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Let $\mathfrak{g}$ be a simply laced Lie algebra, $\widehat{\mathfrak{g}}_1$ the corresponding affine Lie algebra at level one, and $\mathcal{W}(\mathfrak{g})$ the corresponding Casimir W-algebra. We consider $\mathcal{W}(\mathfrak{g})$-symmetric conformal field theory on the Riemann sphere. To a number of $\mathcal{W}(\mathfrak{g})$-primary fields, we associate a Fuchsian differential system. We compute correlation functions of $\widehat{\mathfrak{g}}_1$-currents in terms of solutions of that system, and construct the bundle where these objects live. We argue that cycles on that bundle correspond to parameters of the conformal blocks of the W-algebra, equivalently to moduli of the Fuchsian system.

  1 citation

• Precision magnetometry exploiting excited state quantum phase transitions

  Qian Wang, Ugo Marzolino

  SciPost Phys. 17, 043 (2024) · published 9 August 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Critical behaviour in phase transitions is a resource for enhanced precision metrology. The reason is that the function, known as Fisher information, is superextensive at critical points, and, at the same time, quantifies performances of metrological protocols. Therefore, preparing metrological probes at phase transitions provides enhanced precision in measuring the transition control parameter. We focus on the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model that exhibits excited state quantum phase transitions at different magnetic fields. Resting on the model spectral properties, we show broad peaks of the Fisher information, and propose efficient schemes for precision magnetometry. The Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model was first introduced for superconductivity and for nuclear systems, and recently realised in several condensed matter platforms. The above metrological schemes can be also exploited to measure microscopic properties of systems able to simulate the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model.

  1 citation

• The droplet formation-dissolution transition in different ensembles: Finite-size scaling from two perspectives

  Franz Paul Spitzner, Johannes Zierenberg, Wolfhard Janke

  SciPost Phys. 5, 062 (2018) · published 13 December 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The formation and dissolution of a droplet is an important mechanism related to various nucleation phenomena. Here, we address the droplet formation-dissolution transition in a two-dimensional Lennard-Jones gas to demonstrate a consistent finite-size scaling approach from two perspectives using orthogonal control parameters. For the canonical ensemble, this means that we fix the temperature while varying the density and vice versa. Using specialised parallel multicanonical methods for both cases, we confirm analytical predictions at fixed temperature (rigorously only proven for lattice systems) and corresponding scaling predictions from expansions at fixed density. Importantly, our methodological approach provides us with reference quantities from the grand canonical ensemble that enter the analytical predictions. Our orthogonal finite-size scaling setup can be exploited for theoretical and experimental investigations of general nucleation phenomena - if one identifies the corresponding reference ensemble and adapts the theory accordingly. In this case, our numerical approach can be readily translated to the corresponding ensembles and thereby proves very useful for numerical studies of equilibrium droplet formation, in general.

  1 citation

• Jordan meets Freudenthal. A black hole exceptional story

  Alessio Marrani

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 14, 009 (2023) · published 23 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Within the extremal black hole attractors arising in ungauged $\mathcal{N}≥ 2$-extended Maxwell Einstein supergravity theories in $3+1$ space-time dimensions, we provide an overview of the stratification of the electric-magnetic charge representation space into "large" orbits and related "moduli spaces", under the action of the (continuous limit of the) non-compact $U$-duality Lie group. While each "large" orbit of the $U$-duality supports a class of attractors, the corresponding " moduli space" is the proper subspace of the scalar manifold spanned by those scalar fields on which the Attractor Mechanism is inactive. We present the case study concerning $\mathcal{N}=2$ supergravity theories with symmetric vector multiplets' scalar manifold, which in all cases (with the exception of the minimally coupled models) have the electric-magnetic charge representation of $U$-duality fitting into a reduced Freudenthal triple system over a cubic (simple or semi-simple) Jordan algebra.

  1 citation

• On the breakdown of dimensional reduction and supersymmetry in random-field models

  Gilles Tarjus, Matthieu Tissier, Ivan Balog

  SciPost Phys. 19, 001 (2025) · published 1 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We discuss the breakdown of the Parisi-Sourlas supersymmetry (SUSY) and of the dimensional-reduction (DR) property in the random field Ising and O($N$) models as a function of space dimension $d$ and/or number of components $N$. The functional renormalization group (FRG) predicts that this takes place below a critical line $d_\mathrm{DR}(N)$. We revisit the perturbative FRG results for the RFO($N$)M in $d=4+\epsilon$ and carry out a more comprehensive investigation of the nonperturbative FRG approximation for the RFIM. In light of this FRG description, we discuss the perturbative results in $\epsilon=6-d$ recently derived for the RFIM by Kaviraj, Rychkov, and Trevisani. We stress in particular that the disappearance of the SUSY/DR fixed point below $d_\mathrm{DR}$ arises as a consequence of the nonlinearity of the FRG equations and cannot be found via the perturbative expansion in $\epsilon=6-d$ (nor in $1/N$). We also provide an error bar on the value of the critical dimension $d_\mathrm{DR}$ for the RFIM, which we find around $5.11±0.09$, by studying several successive orders of the nonperturbative FRG approximation scheme.

• pySecDec as a tool for expansion by regions and loop amplitude evaluation

  Emilio Villa

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 7, 014 (2022) · published 20 June 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We present the new release of pySecDec, a toolbox for the evaluation of dimensionally regulated parameter integrals. The main new features consist of an automated way to perform expansions, based on the geometric approach to the method of expansion by regions, and a new algorithm to efficiently evaluate linear combinations of integrals as needed for the calculation of scattering amplitudes. The other new features are also summarised briefly.

• What do DVCS data tell us about TCS observables?

  O. Grocholski, H. Moutarde, B. Pire, P. Sznajder, J. Wagner

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 8, 070 (2022) · published 12 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) and timelike Compton scattering (TCS) leading twist amplitudes are intimately related thanks to their analytic properties as a function of $Q^2$. We exploit this feature to use Compton form factors previously extracted from available DVCS data and derive data-driven predictions for TCS observables to be measured in near future experiments. Our results quantitatively illustrate the complementarity of DVCS and TCS experiments.

• Free growth under tension

  Chenyun Yao, Jens Elgeti

  SciPost Phys. 19, 097 (2025) · published 15 October 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Ever since the ground breaking work of Trepat et al. in 2009, we know that cell colonies growing on a substrate can be under tensile mechanical stress. The origin of tension has so far been attributed to cellular motility forces being oriented outward of the colony. Works in the field mainly revolve around how this orientation of the forces can be explained, ranging from velocity alignment to self-sorting due to self-propulsion. In this work, we demonstrate that tension in growing colonies can also be explained without cellular motility forces! Using a combination of well established tissue growth simulation technique and analytical modelling, we show how tension can arise as a consequence of simple mechanics of growing tissues. Combining these models with a minimalistic motility model shows how colonies can expand while under even larger tension. Furthermore, our results and analytical models provide novel analysis procedures to identify the underlying mechanics.

• High field magnetism of the triangular lattice antiferromagnet CsFeCl$_3$ under high pressure

  Katsuki Nihongi, Takanori Kida, Yasuo Narumi, Nobuyuki Kurita, Hidekazu Tanaka, Yoshiya Uwatoko, Koichi Kindo, Masayuki Hagiwara

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 11, 012 (2023) · published 5 June 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Magnetization measurements of the triangular lattice antiferromagnet CsFeCl$_{3}$ at 1.4 K for $H \parallel c$ were performed in pulsed high magnetic fields of up to 51 T under high pressures of up to 0.80 GPa. At ambient pressure, the magnetization below $H_{\rm c1}$ = 4 T is small, and then it changes steeply between $H_{\rm c1}$ and $H_{\rm c2}$ = 12 T, followed by a gradual increase in magnetization up to $H_{\rm m}$ = 33 T where a two-step metamagnetic transition occurs. With increasing pressure, the $H_{\rm c1}$ and $H_{\rm m}$ shifted to the low-field side, while the $H_{\rm c2}$ shifted to the opposite side. The change in $H_{\rm m}$ may depend on the difference in the single-ion anisotropies on pressure in the lowest $J$ = 1 and the excited $J$ = 2 states.