Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Pivot Hamiltonians as generators of symmetry and entanglement

  Nathanan Tantivasadakarn, Ryan Thorngren, Ashvin Vishwanath, Ruben Verresen

  SciPost Phys. 14, 012 (2023) · published 2 February 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  It is well-known that symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases can be obtained from the trivial phase by an entangler, a finite-depth unitary operator $U$. Here, we consider obtaining the entangler from a local 'pivot' Hamiltonian $H_\text{pivot}$ such that $U = e^{i\pi H_\text{pivot}}$. This perspective of Hamiltonians pivoting between the trivial and SPT phase opens up two new directions: (i) Since SPT Hamiltonians and entanglers are now on the same footing, can we iterate this process to create other interesting states? (ii) Since entanglers are known to arise as discrete symmetries at SPT transitions, under what conditions can this be enhanced to $U(1)$ pivot symmetry generated by $H_\text{pivot}$? In this work we explore both of these questions. With regard to the first, we give examples of a rich web of dualities obtained by iteratively using an SPT model as a pivot to generate the next one. For the second question, we derive a simple criterion for when the direct interpolation between the trivial and SPT Hamiltonian has a $U(1)$ pivot symmetry. We illustrate this in a variety of examples, assuming various forms for $H_\text{pivot}$, including the Ising chain, and the toric code Hamiltonian. A remarkable property of such a $U(1)$ pivot symmetry is that it shares a mutual anomaly with the symmetry protecting the nearby SPT phase. We discuss how such anomalous and non-onsite $U(1)$ symmetries explain the exotic phase diagrams that can appear, including an SPT multicritical point where the gapless ground state is given by the fixed-point toric code state.

  37 citations

• Fast counting with tensor networks

  Stefanos Kourtis, Claudio Chamon, Eduardo R. Mucciolo, Andrei E. Ruckenstein

  SciPost Phys. 7, 060 (2019) · published 12 November 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We introduce tensor network contraction algorithms for counting satisfying assignments of constraint satisfaction problems (#CSPs). We represent each arbitrary #CSP formula as a tensor network, whose full contraction yields the number of satisfying assignments of that formula, and use graph theoretical methods to determine favorable orders of contraction. We employ our heuristics for the solution of #P-hard counting boolean satisfiability (#SAT) problems, namely monotone #1-in-3SAT and #Cubic-Vertex-Cover, and find that they outperform state-of-the-art solvers by a significant margin.

  37 citations

• Subsystem Rényi entropy of thermal ensembles for SYK-like models

  Pengfei Zhang, Chunxiao Liu, Xiao Chen

  SciPost Phys. 8, 094 (2020) · published 26 June 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model is an $N$-modes fermionic model with infinite range random interactions. In this work, we study the thermal R\'enyi entropy for a subsystem of the SYK model using the path-integral formalism in the large-$N$ limit. The results are consistent with exact diagonalization [1] and can be well approximated by thermal entropy with an effective temperature [2] when subsystem size $M\leq N/2$. We also consider generalizations of the SYK model with quadratic random hopping term or $U(1)$ charge conservation.

  37 citations

• New sensitivity of current LHC measurements to vector-like quarks

  Andy Buckley, Jonathan M. Butterworth, Louie Corpe, Danping Huang, Puwen Sun

  SciPost Phys. 9, 069 (2020) · published 11 November 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Quark partners with non-chiral couplings appear in several extensions of the Standard Model. They may have non-trivial generational structure to their couplings, and may be produced either in pairs via the strong and EM interactions, or singly via the new couplings of the model. Their decays often produce heavy quarks and gauge bosons, which will contribute to a variety of already-measured "Standard Model" cross-sections at the LHC. We present a study of the sensitivity of such published LHC measurements to vector-like quarks, first comparing to limits already obtained from dedicated searches, and then broadening to some so-far unstudied parameter regions.

  37 citations

• Applications of dispersive sum rules: $ε$-expansion and holography

  Dean Carmi, Joao Penedones, Joao A. Silva, Alexander Zhiboedov

  SciPost Phys. 10, 145 (2021) · published 14 June 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We use Mellin space dispersion relations together with Polyakov conditions to derive a family of sum rules for Conformal Field Theories (CFTs). The defining property of these sum rules is suppression of the contribution of the double twist operators. Firstly, we apply these sum rules to the Wilson-Fisher model in $d=4-\epsilon$ dimensions. We re-derive many of the known results to order $\epsilon^4$ and we make new predictions. No assumption of analyticity down to spin $0$ was made. Secondly, we study holographic CFTs. We use dispersive sum rules to obtain tree-level and one-loop anomalous dimensions. Finally, we briefly discuss the contribution of heavy operators to the sum rules in UV complete holographic theories.

  37 citations

• Measuring QCD Splittings with Invertible Networks

  Sebastian Bieringer, Anja Butter, Theo Heimel, Stefan Höche, Ullrich Köthe, Tilman Plehn, Stefan T. Radev

  SciPost Phys. 10, 126 (2021) · published 2 June 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  QCD splittings are among the most fundamental theory concepts at the LHC. We show how they can be studied systematically with the help of invertible neural networks. These networks work with sub-jet information to extract fundamental parameters from jet samples. Our approach expands the LEP measurements of QCD Casimirs to a systematic test of QCD properties based on low-level jet observables. Starting with an toy example we study the effect of the full shower, hadronization, and detector effects in detail.

  37 citations

• Navigator function for the conformal bootstrap

  Marten Reehorst, Slava Rychkov, David Simmons-Duffin, Benoit Sirois, Ning Su, Balt van Rees

  SciPost Phys. 11, 072 (2021) · published 28 September 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Current numerical conformal bootstrap techniques carve out islands in theory space by repeatedly checking whether points are allowed or excluded. We propose a new method for searching theory space that replaces the binary information “allowed”/“excluded” with a continuous “navigator” function that is negative in the allowed region and positive in the excluded region. Such a navigator function allows one to efficiently explore high-dimensional parameter spaces and smoothly sail towards any islands they may contain. The specific functions we introduce have several attractive features: they are well-defined in large regions of parameter space, can be computed with standard methods, and evaluation of their gradient is immediate due to an SDP gradient formula that we provide. The latter property allows for the use of efficient quasi-Newton optimization methods, which we illustrate by navigating towards the 3d Ising island.

  37 citations

• Relative defects in relative theories: Trapped higher-form symmetries and irregular punctures in class S

  Lakshya Bhardwaj, Simone Giacomelli, Max Hübner, Sakura Schäfer-Nameki

  SciPost Phys. 13, 101 (2022) · published 26 October 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A relative theory is a boundary condition of a higher-dimensional topological quantum field theory (TQFT), and carries a non-trivial defect group formed by mutually non-local defects living in the relative theory. Prime examples are $6d$ $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ theories that are boundary conditions of $7d$ TQFTs, with the defect group arising from surface defects. In this paper, we study codimension-two defects in $6d$ $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ theories, and find that the line defects living inside these codimension-two defects are mutually non-local and hence also form a defect group. Thus, codimension-two defects in a $6d$ $\mathcal{N}=(2,0)$ theory are relative defects living inside a relative theory. These relative defects provide boundary conditions for topological defects of the $7d$ bulk TQFT. A codimension-two defect carrying a non-trivial defect group acts as an irregular puncture when used in the construction of $4d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ Class S theories. The defect group associated to such an irregular puncture provides extra "trapped" contributions to the 1-form symmetries of the resulting Class S theories. We determine the defect groups associated to large classes of both conformal and non-conformal irregular punctures. Along the way, we discover many new classes of irregular punctures. A key role in the analysis of defect groups is played by two different geometric descriptions of the punctures in Type IIB string theory: one provided by isolated hypersurface singularities in Calabi-Yau threefolds, and the other provided by ALE fibrations with monodromies.

  37 citations

• Accelerating Monte Carlo event generation -- rejection sampling using neural network event-weight estimates

  Katharina Danziger, Timo Janßen, Steffen Schumann, Frank Siegert

  SciPost Phys. 12, 164 (2022) · published 18 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The generation of unit-weight events for complex scattering processes presents a severe challenge to modern Monte Carlo event generators. Even when using sophisticated phase-space sampling techniques adapted to the underlying transition matrix elements, the efficiency for generating unit-weight events from weighted samples can become a limiting factor in practical applications. Here we present a novel two-staged unweighting procedure that makes use of a neural-network surrogate for the full event weight. The algorithm can significantly accelerate the unweighting process, while it still guarantees unbiased sampling from the correct target distribution. We apply, validate and benchmark the new approach in high-multiplicity LHC production processes, including $Z/W$+4 jets and $t\bar{t}$+3 jets, where we find speed-up factors up to ten.

  37 citations

• Non-invertible symmetries and higher representation theory I

  Thomas Bartsch, Mathew Bullimore, Andrea E. V. Ferrari, Jamie Pearson

  SciPost Phys. 17, 015 (2024) · published 16 July 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The purpose of this paper is to investigate the global categorical symmetries that arise when gauging finite higher groups in three or more dimensions. The motivation is to provide a common perspective on constructions of non-invertible global symmetries in higher dimensions and a precise description of the associated symmetry categories. This paper focusses on gauging finite groups and split 2-groups in three dimensions. In addition to topological Wilson lines, we show that this generates a rich spectrum of topological surface defects labelled by 2-representations and explain their connection to condensation defects for Wilson lines. We derive various properties of the topological defects and show that the associated symmetry category is the fusion 2-category of 2-representations. This allows us to determine the full symmetry categories of certain gauge theories with disconnected gauge groups. A subsequent paper will examine gauging more general higher groups in higher dimensions.

  37 citations