Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• $T \overline{T}$-like flows and $3d$ nonlinear supersymmetry

  Christian Ferko, Yangrui Hu, Zejun Huang, Konstantinos Koutrolikos, Gabriele Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli

  SciPost Phys. 16, 038 (2024) · published 29 January 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We show that the $3d$ Born-Infeld theory can be generated via an irrelevant deformation of the free Maxwell theory. The deforming operator is constructed from the energy-momentum tensor and includes a novel non-analytic contribution that resembles root-$T \ overline{T}$. We find that a similar operator deforms a free scalar into the scalar sector of the Dirac-Born-Infeld action, which describes transverse fluctuations of a D-brane, in any dimension. We also analyse trace flow equations and obtain flows for subtracted models driven by a relevant operator. In $3d$, the irrelevant deformation can be made manifestly supersymmetric by presenting the flow equation in $\mathcal{N} = 1$ superspace, where the deforming operator is built from supercurrents. We demonstrate that two supersymmetric presentations of the D2-brane effective action, the Maxwell-Goldstone multiplet and the tensor-Goldstone multiplet, satisfy superspace flow equations driven by this supercurrent combination. To do this, we derive expressions for the supercurrents in general classes of vector and tensor/scalar models by directly solving the superspace conservation equations and also by coupling to $\mathcal{N} = 1$ supergravity. As both of these multiplets exhibit a second, spontaneously broken supersymmetry, this analysis provides further evidence for a connection between current-squared deformations and nonlinearly realized symmetries.

• Large second-order Josephson effect in planar superconductor-semiconductor junctions

  P. Zhang, A. Zarassi, L. Jarjat, V. Van de Sande, M. Pendharkar, J. S. Lee, C. P. Dempsey, A. P. McFadden, S. D. Harrington, J. T. Dong, H. Wu, A. -H. Chen, M. Hocevar, C. J. Palmstrøm, S. M. Frolov

  SciPost Phys. 16, 030 (2024) · published 25 January 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate the current-phase relations of Al/InAs-quantum well planar Josephson junctions fabricated using nanowire shadowing technique. Based on several experiments, we conclude that the junctions exhibit an unusually large second-order Josephson harmonic, the $\sin(2\varphi)$ term. First, superconducting quantum interference devices (dc-SQUIDs) show half-periodic oscillations, tunable by gate voltages as well as magnetic flux. Second, Josephson junction devices exhibit kinks near half-flux quantum in supercurrent diffraction patterns. Third, half-integer Shapiro steps are present in the junctions. Similar phenomena are observed in Sn/InAs quantum well devices. We perform data fitting to a numerical model with a two-component current phase relation. Analysis including a loop inductance suggests that the sign of the second harmonic term is negative. The microscopic origins of the observed effect remain to be understood. We consider alternative explanations which can account for some but not all of the evidence.

• Quasi-equilibrium polariton condensates in the non-linear regime and beyond

  Ned Goodman, Brendan C. Mulkerin, Jesper Levinsen, Meera M. Parish

  SciPost Phys. 15, 116 (2023) · published 26 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate the many-body behavior of polaritons formed from electron-hole pairs strongly coupled to photons in a two-dimensional semiconductor microcavity. We use a microscopic mean-field BCS theory that describes polariton condensation in quasi-equilibrium across the full range of excitation densities. In the limit of vanishing density, we show that our theory recovers the exact single-particle properties of polaritons, while at low densities it captures non-linear polariton-polariton interactions within the Born approximation. For the case of highly screened contact interactions between charge carriers, we obtain analytic expressions for the equation of state of the many-body system. This allows us to show that there is a photon resonance at a chemical potential higher than the photon cavity energy, where the electron-hole pair correlations in the polariton condensate become universal and independent of the details of the carrier interactions. Comparing the effect of different ranged interactions between charge carriers, we find that the Rytova-Keldysh potential (relevant to transition metal dichalcogenides) offers the best prospect of reaching the BCS regime, where pairs strongly overlap and the minimum pairing gap occurs at finite momentum. Finally, going beyond thermal equilibrium, we argue that there are generically two polariton branches in the driven-dissipative system and we discuss the possibility of a density-driven exceptional point within our model.

• Unveiling the anatomy of mode-coupling theory

  Ilian Pihlajamaa, Vincent E. Debets, Corentin C. L. Laudicina, Liesbeth M. C. Janssen

  SciPost Phys. 15, 217 (2023) · published 29 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The mode-coupling theory of the glass transition (MCT) has been at the forefront of fundamental glass research for decades, yet the theory's underlying approximations remain obscure. Here we quantify and critically assess the effect of each MCT approximation separately. Using Brownian dynamics simulations, we compute the memory kernel predicted by MCT after each approximation in its derivation, and compare it with the exact one. We find that some often-criticized approximations are in fact very accurate, while the opposite is true for others, providing new guiding cues for further theory development.

• Analytical results for a coagulation/decoagulation model on an inhomogeneous lattice

  Nicolas Crampé

  SciPost Phys. 2, 006 (2017) · published 24 February 2017 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We show that an inhomogeneous coagulation/decoagulation model can be mapped to a quadratic fermionic model via a Jordan-Wigner transformation. The spectrum for this inhomogeneous model is computed exactly and the spectral gap is described for some examples. We construct our inhomogeneous model from two different homogeneous models joined by one special bond (impurity). The homogeneous models we started with are the coagulation/decoagulation models studied previously using the Jordan-Wigner transformation.

• 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)].

• Estimation of the geometric measure of entanglement with Wehrl moments through artificial neural networks

  Jérôme Denis, François Damanet, John Martin

  SciPost Phys. 15, 208 (2023) · published 27 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In recent years, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have become an increasingly popular tool for studying problems in quantum theory, and in particular entanglement theory. In this work, we analyse to what extent ANNs can accurately predict the geometric measure of entanglement of symmetric multiqubit states using only a limited number of Wehrl moments (moments of the Husimi function of the state) as input, which represents partial information about the state. We consider both pure and mixed quantum states. We compare the results we obtain by training ANNs with the informed use of convergence acceleration methods. We find that even some of the most powerful convergence acceleration algorithms do not compete with ANNs when given the same input data, provided that enough data is available to train these ANNs. We also provide an experimental protocol for measuring Wehrl moments, which is state-independent. More generally, this work opens up perspectives for the estimation of entanglement measures and other SU(2)-invariant quantities, such as the Wehrl entropy, in a way that is more accessible in experiments than by means of full state tomography.

• Modified rational six vertex model on the rectangular lattice

  Samuel Belliard, Rodrigo Alves Pimenta, Nikita A. Slavnov

  SciPost Phys. 16, 009 (2024) · published 9 January 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider a rational six vertex model on a rectangular lattice with boundary conditions that generalize the usual domain wall type. We find that the partition function of the inhomogeneous version of this model is given by a modified Izergin determinant. The proofs are based on the quantum inverse scattering method and its representation theory together with elementary linear algebra.

• Boundary signature of singularity in the presence of a shock wave

  Gary T. Horowitz, Henry Leung, Leonel Queimada, Ying Zhao

  SciPost Phys. 16, 060 (2024) · published 28 February 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Matter falling into a Schwarzschild-AdS black hole from the left causes increased focussing of ingoing geodesics from the right, and, as a consequence, they reach the singularity sooner. In a standard Penrose diagram, the singularity "bends down". We show how to detect this feature of the singularity holographically, using a boundary two-point function. We model the matter with a shock wave, and show that this bending down of the singularity can be read off from a novel analytic continuation of the boundary two-point function. Along the way, we obtain a generalization of the recently proposed thermal product formula for two-point correlators.

• Resonating valence bonds and spinon pairing in the Dicke model

  R. Ganesh, L. Theerthagiri, G. Baskaran

  SciPost Phys. 4, 044 (2018) · published 30 June 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Resonating valence bond (RVB) states are a class of entangled quantum many body wavefunctions with great significance in condensed matter physics. We propose a scheme to synthesize a family of RVB states using a cavity QED setup with two-level atoms (with states $\vert 0 \rangle$ and $\vert 1 \rangle$) coupled to a common photon mode. In the lossy cavity limit, starting with an initial state of $M$ atoms excited and $N$ atoms in the ground state, we show that this setup can be configured as a Stern Gerlach experiment. A measurement of photon emission collapses the wavefunction of atoms onto an RVB state composed of resonating long-ranged singlets of the form $\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}[\vert 0 1 \rangle - \vert 1 0 \rangle]$. Each emitted photon reduces the number of singlets by unity, replacing it with a pair of lone spins or `spinons'. As spinons are formed coherently in pairs, they are analogous to Cooper pairs in a superconductor. To simulate pair fluctuations, we propose a protocol in which photons are allowed to escape the cavity undetected. This leads to a mixed quantum state with a fluctuating number of spinon pairs -- an inchoate superconductor. Remarkably, in the limit of large system sizes, this protocol reveals an underlying quantum phase transition. Upon tuning the initial spin polarization ($M-N$), the emission exhibits a continuous transition from a dark state to a bright state. This is reflected in the spinon pair number distribution which can be tuned from sub-poissonian to super-poissonian regimes. This opens an exciting route to simulate RVB states and superconductivity.