Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• The functional generalization of the Boltzmann-Vlasov equation and its gauge-like symmetry

  Giorgio Torrieri

  SciPost Phys. 16, 070 (2024) · published 11 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We argue that one can model deviations from the ensemble average in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics by promoting the Boltzmann equation to an equation in terms of functionals , representing possible candidates for phase space distributions inferred from a finite observed number of degrees of freedom. We find that, provided the collision term and the Vlasov drift term are both included, a gauge-like redundancy arises which does not go away even if the functional is narrow. We argue that this effect is linked to the gauge-like symmetry found in relativistic hydrodynamics [Ann. Phys. 442, 168902 (2022)] and that it could be part of the explanation for the apparent fluid-like behavior in small systems in hadronic collisions and other strongly-coupled small systems [Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 68, 211 (2018)]. When causality and Lorentz invariance are omitted this problem can be look at via random matrix theory show, and we show that in such a case thermalization happens much more quickly than the Boltzmann equation would infer. We also sketch an algorithm to study this problem numerically.

  2 citations

• An exact method for bosonizing the Fermi surface in arbitrary dimensions

  Takamori Park, Leon Balents

  SciPost Phys. 16, 069 (2024) · published 8 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Inspired by the recent work by Delacretaz et. al. [Phys. Rev. Res. 4, 033131 (2022)], we rigorously derive an exact and simple method to bosonize a non-interacting fermionic system with a Fermi surface starting from a microscopic Hamiltonian. In the long-wavelength limit, we show that the derived bosonized action is exactly equivalent to the action obtained by Delacretaz et. al. In addition, we propose diagrammatic rules to evaluate correlation functions using our bosonized theory and demonstrate these rules by calculating the three- and four-point density correlation functions. We also consider a general density-density interaction and show that the simplest approximation in our bosonic theory is identical to RPA results.

  3 citations

• Topologically stable ergodicity breaking from emergent higher-form symmetries in generalized quantum loop models

  Charles Stahl, Rahul Nandkishore, Oliver Hart

  SciPost Phys. 16, 068 (2024) · published 8 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We present a set of generalized quantum loop models that provably exhibit topologically stable ergodicity breaking. These results hold for both periodic and open boundary conditions, and derive from a one-form symmetry (notably not being restricted to sectors of extremal one-form charge). We identify simple models in which this one-form symmetry can be emergent, giving rise to the aforementioned ergodicity breaking as an exponentially long-lived prethermal phenomenon. We unveil a web of dualities that connects these models, in certain limits, to models that have previously been discussed in the literature. We also identify nonlocal conserved quantities in such models, which correspond to patterns of system-spanning domain walls and are robust to the addition of arbitrary $k$-local perturbations.

  4 citations

• Phase diagram for strong-coupling Bose polarons

  Arthur Christianen, J. Ignacio Cirac, Richard Schmidt

  SciPost Phys. 16, 067 (2024) · published 5 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Important properties of complex quantum many-body systems and their phase diagrams can often already be inferred from the impurity limit. The Bose polaron problem describing an impurity atom immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate is a paradigmatic example. The interplay between the impurity-mediated attraction between the bosons and their intrinsic repulsion makes this model rich and interesting, but also complex to describe theoretically. To tackle this challenge, we develop a quantum chemistry-inspired computational technique and compare two variational methods that fully include both the boson-impurity and interboson interactions. We find one regime where the impurity-mediated interactions overcome the repulsion between the bosons, so that a sweep of the boson-impurity interaction strength leads to an instability of the polaron due to the formation of many-body clusters. If instead the interboson interactions dominate, the impurity will experience a crossover from a polaron into a few-body bound state. We achieve a unified understanding incorporating both of these regimes and show that they are experimentally accessible. Moreover, we develop an analytical model that allows us to interpret these phenomena in the Landau framework of phase transitions, revealing a deep connection of the Bose polaron model to both few- and many-body physics.

  4 citations

• Tunnelling to holographic traversable wormholes

  Suzanne Bintanja, Ben Freivogel, Andrew Rolph

  SciPost Phys. 16, 066 (2024) · published 5 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study nonperturbative effects of quantum gravity in a system consisting of a coupled pair of holographic CFTs. The AdS$_4$/CFT$_3$ system has three possible ground states: two copies of empty AdS, a pair of extremal AdS black holes, and an eternal AdS traversable wormhole. We give a recipe for calculating transition rates via gravitational instantons and test it by calculating the emission rate of radiation shells from a black hole. We calculate the nucleation rate of a traversable wormhole between a pair of AdS-RN black holes in the canonical and microcanonical ensembles. Our results give predictions of nonpertubative quantum gravity that can be tested in a holographic simulation.

  2 citations

• Massless Rarita-Schwinger equations: Half and three halves spin solution

  Mauricio Valenzuela, Jorge Zanelli

  SciPost Phys. 16, 065 (2024) · published 4 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Counting the degrees of freedom of the massless Rarita-Schwinger theory is revisited using Behrends-Fronsdal projectors. The identification of the gauge invariant part of the vector-spinor is thus straightforward, consisting of spins 1/2 and 3/2. The validity of this statement is supported by the explicit solution found in the standard gamma-traceless gauge. Since the obtained systems are deterministic -free of arbitrary functions of time- we argue that the often-invoked residual gauge symmetry lacks fundamental grounding and should not be used to enforce new external constraints. The result is verified by the total Hamiltonian dynamics. We conclude that eliminating the spin-1/2 mode via the extended Hamiltonian dynamics would be acceptable if the Dirac conjecture was assumed; however, this framework does not accurately describe the original Lagrangian system.

  2 citations

• Majorana chain and Ising model - (non-invertible) translations, anomalies, and emanant symmetries

  Nathan Seiberg, Shu-Heng Shao

  SciPost Phys. 16, 064 (2024) · published 1 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the symmetries of closed Majorana chains in 1+1d, including the translation, fermion parity, spatial parity, and time-reversal symmetries. The algebra of the symmetry operators is realized projectively on the Hilbert space, signaling anomalies on the lattice, and constraining the long-distance behavior. In the special case of the free Hamiltonian (and small deformations thereof), the continuum limit is the 1+1d free Majorana CFT. Its continuum chiral fermion parity $(-1)^{F_\text{L}}$ emanates from the lattice translation symmetry. We find a lattice precursor of its mod 8 't Hooft anomaly. Using a Jordan-Wigner transformation, we sum over the spin structures of the lattice model (a procedure known as the GSO projection), while carefully tracking the global symmetries. In the resulting bosonic model of Ising spins, the Majorana translation operator leads to a non-invertible lattice translation symmetry at the critical point. The non-invertible Kramers-Wannier duality operator of the continuum Ising CFT emanates from this non-invertible lattice translation of the transverse-field Ising model.

  24 citations

• Certifying quantum separability with adaptive polytopes

  Ties-A. Ohst, Xiao-Dong Yu, Otfried Gühne, H. Chau Nguyen

  SciPost Phys. 16, 063 (2024) · published 1 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The concept of entanglement and separability of quantum states is relevant for several fields in physics. Still, there is a lack of effective operational methods to characterise these features. We propose a method to certify quantum separability of two- and multiparticle quantum systems based on an adaptive polytope approximation. This leads to an algorithm which, for practical purposes, conclusively recognises two-particle separability for small and medium-size dimensions. For multiparticle systems, the approach allows to characterise full separability for up to five qubits or three qutrits; in addition, different classes of entanglement can be distinguished. Finally, our methods allow to identify systematically quantum states with interesting entanglement properties, such as maximally robust states which are separable for all bipartitions, but not fully separable.

  1 citation

• High-dimensional and permutation invariant anomaly detection

  Vinicius Mikuni, Benjamin Nachman

  SciPost Phys. 16, 062 (2024) · published 29 February 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Methods for anomaly detection of new physics processes are often limited to low-dimensional spaces due to the difficulty of learning high-dimensional probability densities. Particularly at the constituent level, incorporating desirable properties such as permutation invariance and variable-length inputs becomes difficult within popular density estimation methods. In this work, we introduce a permutation-invariant density estimator for particle physics data based on diffusion models, specifically designed to handle variable-length inputs. We demonstrate the efficacy of our methodology by utilizing the learned density as a permutation-invariant anomaly detection score, effectively identifying jets with low likelihood under the background-only hypothesis. To validate our density estimation method, we investigate the ratio of learned densities and compare to those obtained by a supervised classification algorithm.

  6 citations

• Solvable models for 2+1D quantum critical points: Loop soups of 1+1D conformal field theories

  Amin Moharramipour, Dan Sehayek, Thomas Scaffidi

  SciPost Phys. 16, 061 (2024) · published 28 February 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct a class of solvable models for 2+1D quantum critical points by attaching 1+1D conformal field theories (CFTs) to fluctuating domain walls forming a "loop soup". Specifically, our local Hamiltonian attaches gapless spin chains to the domain walls of a triangular lattice Ising antiferromagnet. The macroscopic degeneracy between antiferromagnetic configurations is split by the Casimir energy of each decorating CFT, which is usually negative and thus favors a short loop phase with a finite gap. However, we found a set of 1D CFT Hamiltonians for which the Casimir energy is effectively positive, making it favorable for domain walls to coalesce into a single "snake" which is macroscopically long and thus hosts a CFT with a vanishing gap. The snake configurations are geometrical objects also known as fully-packed self-avoiding walks or Hamiltonian walks which are described by an $\mathrm{O}$(n=0) loop ensemble with a non-unitary 2+0D CFT description. Combining this description with the 1+1D decoration CFT, we obtain a 2+1D theory with unusual critical exponents and entanglement properties. Regarding the latter, we show that the log contributions from the decoration CFTs conspire with the spatial distribution of loops crossing the entanglement cut to generate a "non-local area law". Our predictions are verified by Monte Carlo simulations.

  1 citation