Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Quantum simulation of colour in perturbative quantum chromodynamics

  Herschel A. Chawdhry, Mathieu Pellen

  SciPost Phys. 15, 205 (2023) · published 24 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Quantum computers are expected to give major speed-ups for the simulation of quantum systems. In this work, we present quantum gates that simulate the colour part of the interactions of quarks and gluons in perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD). As a first application, we implement these circuits on a simulated noiseless quantum computer and use them to calculate colour factors for various examples of Feynman diagrams. This work constitutes a first key step towards a quantum simulation of generic scattering processes in perturbative QCD.

• Spontaneous breaking of finite group symmetries at all temperatures

  Pedro Liendo, Junchen Rong, Haoyu Zhang

  SciPost Phys. 14, 168 (2023) · published 22 June 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study conformal field theories with finite group symmetries with spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) phases which persist at all temperatures. We work with two $\lambda \phi^4$ theories coupled through their mass terms. The two $\lambda \phi^4$ theories are chosen to preserve either the cubic symmetry group, or the tetrahedral symmetry group. A one-loop calculation in the $4-\epsilon$ expansion shows that there exist infinitely many fixed points that can host an all temperature SSB phase. An analysis of the renormalization group (RG) stability matrix of these fixed points, reveals that their spectrum contains at least three relevant operators. In other words, these fixed points are tetracritical points.

• Dynamically restoring conformal invariance in (integrable) $\sigma$-models

  Rigers Aliaj, Konstantinos Sfetsos, Konstantinos Siampos

  SciPost Phys. 14, 043 (2023) · published 21 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Integrable $\lambda$-deformed $\sigma$-models are characterized by an underlying current algebra/coset model CFT deformed, at the infinitesimal level, by current/parafermion bilinears. We promote the deformation parameters to dynamical functions of time introduced as an extra coordinate. It is conceivable that by appropriately constraining them, the beta-functions vanish and consequently the $\sigma$-model stays conformal. Remarkably, we explicitly materialize this scenario in several cases having a single and even multiple deformation parameters. These generically obey a system of non-linear second-order ordinary differential equations. They are solved by the fixed points of the RG flow of the original $\sigma$-model. Moreover, by appropriately choosing initial conditions we may even interpolate between the RG fixed points as the time varies from the far past to the far future. Finally, we present an extension of our analysis to the Yang--Baxter deformed PCMs.

• Entanglement in the quantum Hall fluid of dipoles

  Jackson R. Fliss

  SciPost Phys. 11, 052 (2021) · published 9 September 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We revisit a model for gapped fractonic order in (2+1) dimensions (a symmetric-traceless tensor gauge theory with conservation of dipole and trace-quadrupole moments described in \cite{Prem:2017kxc}) and compute its ground-state entanglement entropy on $\mathbb R^2$. Along the way, we quantize the theory on open subsets of $\mathbb R^2$ which gives rise to gapless edge excitations that are Lifshitz-type scalar theories. We additionally explore varieties of gauge-invariant extended operators and rephrase the fractonic physics in terms of the local deformability of these operators. We explore similarities of this model to the effective field theories describing quantum Hall fluids: in particular, quantization of dipole moments through a novel compact symmetry leads us to interpret the vacuum of this theory as a dipole condensate atop of which dipoles with fractionalized moments appear as quasi-particle excitations with Abelian anyonic statistics. This interpretation is reflected in the subleading ``topological entanglement" correction to the entanglement entropy. We extend this result to a series of models with conserved multipole moments.

• Time evolution of effective central charge and signatures of RG irreversibility after a quantum quench

  Axel Cortes Cubero

  SciPost Phys. 4, 016 (2018) · published 27 March 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  At thermal equilibrium, the concept of effective central charge for massive deformations of two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFT) is well understood, and can be defined by comparing the partition function of the massive model to that of a CFT. This temperature-dependent effective charge interpolates monotonically between the central charge values corresponding to the IR and UV fixed points at low and high temperatures, respectively. We propose a non-equilibrium, time-dependent generalization of the effective central charge for integrable models after a quantum quench, $c_{\rm eff}(t)$, obtained by comparing the return amplitude to that of a CFT quench. We study this proposal for a large mass quench of a free boson, where the charge is seen to interpolate between $c_{\rm eff}=0$ at $t=0$, and $c_{\rm eff}\sim 1$ at $t\to\infty$, as is expected. We use our effective charge to define an "Ising to Tricritical Ising" quench protocol, where the charge evolves from $c_{\rm eff}=1/2$ at $t=0$, to $c_{\rm eff}=7/10$ at $t\to\infty$, the corresponding values of the first two unitary minimal CFT models. We then argue that the inverse "Tricritical Ising to Ising" quench is impossible with our methods. These conclusions can be generalized for quenches between any two adjacent unitary minimal CFT models. We finally study a large mass quench into the "staircase model" (sinh-Gordon with a particular complex coupling). At short times after the quench, the effective central charge increases in a discrete "staircase" structure, where the values of the charge at the steps can be computed in terms of the central charges of unitary minimal CFT models. When the initial state is a pure state, one always finds that $c_{\rm eff}(t\to\infty)\geq c_{\rm eff}(t=0)$, though $c_{\rm eff}(t)$, generally oscillates at finite times. We explore how this constraint may be related to RG flow irreversibility.

• Quantum-inspired tempering for ground state approximation using artificial neural networks

  Tameem Albash, Conor Smith, Quinn Campbell, Andrew D. Baczewski

  SciPost Phys. 14, 121 (2023) · published 19 May 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A large body of work has demonstrated that parameterized artificial neural networks (ANNs) can efficiently describe ground states of numerous interesting quantum many-body Hamiltonians. However, the standard variational algorithms used to update or train the ANN parameters can get trapped in local minima, especially for frustrated systems and even if the representation is sufficiently expressive. We propose a parallel tempering method that facilitates escape from such local minima. This methods involves training multiple ANNs independently, with each simulation governed by a Hamiltonian with a different "driver" strength, in analogy to quantum parallel tempering, and it incorporates an update step into the training that allows for the exchange of neighboring ANN configurations. We study instances from two classes of Hamiltonians to demonstrate the utility of our approach using Restricted Boltzmann Machines as our parameterized ANN. The first instance is based on a permutation-invariant Hamiltonian whose landscape stymies the standard training algorithm by drawing it increasingly to a false local minimum. The second instance is four hydrogen atoms arranged in a rectangle, which is an instance of the second quantized electronic structure Hamiltonian discretized using Gaussian basis functions. We study this problem in a minimal basis set, which exhibits false minima that can trap the standard variational algorithm despite the problem's small size. We show that augmenting the training with quantum parallel tempering becomes useful to finding good approximations to the ground states of these problem instances.

• Manifold curvature and Ehrenfest forces with a moving basis

  Jessica F. K. Halliday, Emilio Artacho

  SciPost Phys. 12, 020 (2022) · published 13 January 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Known force terms arising in the Ehrenfest dynamics of quantum electrons and classical nuclei, due to a moving basis set for the former, can be understood in terms of the curvature of the manifold hosting the quantum states of the electronic subsystem. Namely, the velocity-dependent terms appearing in the Ehrenfest forces on the nuclei acquire a geometrical meaning in terms of the intrinsic curvature of the manifold, while Pulay terms relate to its extrinsic curvature.

• Quantum collider probes of the fermionic Higgs portal

  Ulrich Haisch, Maximilian Ruhdorfer, Konstantin Schmid, Andreas Weiler

  SciPost Phys. 16, 112 (2024) · published 25 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We explore the sensitivity of future hadron colliders to constrain the fermionic Higgs portal, with a focus on scenarios where the new fermions cannot be directly observed in exotic Higgs decays. This portal emerges in various models including twin-Higgs scenarios and dark matter models, posing significant challenges for collider tests. Working in an effective field theory (EFT), we determine the reach of the high-luminosity option of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), the high-energy upgrade of the LHC (HE-LHC) and a proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) in probing the fermionic Higgs portal through off-shell and double-Higgs production. Notably, we find that quantum-enhanced indirect probes offer a better sensitivity than other direct Higgs measurements. We argue that this finding is valid in a wide class of ultraviolet realisations of the EFT. Our study presents a roadmap of a multifaceted search strategy for exploring the fermionic Higgs portal at forthcoming hadron machines.

• A functional-analysis derivation of the parquet equation

  Christian J. Eckhardt, Patrick Kappl, Anna Kauch, Karsten Held

  SciPost Phys. 15, 203 (2023) · published 24 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The parquet equation is an exact field-theoretic equation known since the 60s that underlies numerous approximations to solve strongly correlated Fermion systems. Its derivation previously relied on combinatorial arguments classifying all diagrams of the two-particle Green's function in terms of their (ir)reducibility properties. In this work we provide a derivation of the parquet equation solely employing techniques of functional analysis namely functional Legendre transformations and functional derivatives. The advantage of a derivation in terms of a straightforward calculation is twofold: (i) the quantities appearing in the calculation have a clear mathematical definition and interpretation as derivatives of the Luttinger-Ward functional; (ii) analogous calculations to the ones that lead to the parquet equation may be performed for higher-order Green's functions potentially leading to a classification of these in terms of their (ir)reducible components.

• Candidate phases for SU(2) adjoint QCD$_4$ with two flavors from $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

  Clay Córdova, Thomas T. Dumitrescu

  SciPost Phys. 16, 139 (2024) · published 29 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study four-dimensional adjoint QCD with gauge group $SU(2)$ and two Weyl fermion flavors, which has an $SU(2)_R$ chiral symmetry. The infrared behavior of this theory is not firmly established. We explore candidate infrared phases by embedding adjoint QCD into ${\mathcal N}=2$ supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory deformed by a supersymmetry-breaking scalar mass $M$ that preserves all global symmetries and 't Hooft anomalies. This includes 't Hooft anomalies that are only visible when the theory is placed on manifolds that do not admit a spin structure. The consistency of this procedure is guaranteed by a nonabelian spin-charge relation involving the $SU(2)_R$ symmetry that is familiar from topologically twisted ${\mathcal N}=2$ theories. Since every vacuum on the Coulomb branch of the ${\mathcal N}=2$ theory necessarily matches all 't Hooft anomalies, we can generate candidate phases for adjoint QCD by deforming the theories in these vacua while preserving all symmetries and 't Hooft anomalies. One such deformation is the supersymmetry-breaking scalar mass $M$ itself, which can be reliably analyzed when $M$ is small. In this regime it gives rise to an exotic Coulomb phase without chiral symmetry breaking. By contrast, the theory near the monopole and dyon points can be deformed to realize a candidate phase with monopole-induced confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. The low-energy theory consists of two copies of a $\mathbb{CP}^1$ sigma model, which we analyze in detail. Certain topological couplings that are likely to be present in this $\mathbb{CP}^1$ model turn the confining solitonic string of the model into a topological insulator. We also examine the behavior of various candidate phases under fermion mass deformations. We speculate on the possible large-$M$ behavior of the deformed ${\mathcal N}=2$ theory and conjecture that the $\mathbb{CP}^1$ phase eventually becomes dominant.