Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Learning knot invariants across dimensions

  Jessica Craven, Mark Hughes, Vishnu Jejjala, Arjun Kar

  SciPost Phys. 14, 021 (2023) · published 21 February 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We use deep neural networks to machine learn correlations between knot invariants in various dimensions. The three-dimensional invariant of interest is the Jones polynomial $J(q)$, and the four-dimensional invariants are the Khovanov polynomial $\text{Kh}(q,t)$, smooth slice genus $g$, and Rasmussen's $s$-invariant. We find that a two-layer feed-forward neural network can predict $s$ from $\text{Kh}(q,-q^{-4})$ with greater than $99\%$ accuracy. A theoretical explanation for this performance exists in knot theory via the now disproven knight move conjecture, which is obeyed by all knots in our dataset. More surprisingly, we find similar performance for the prediction of $s$ from $\text{Kh}(q,-q^{-2})$, which suggests a novel relationship between the Khovanov and Lee homology theories of a knot. The network predicts $g$ from $\text{Kh}(q,t)$ with similarly high accuracy, and we discuss the extent to which the machine is learning $s$ as opposed to $g$, since there is a general inequality $|s| \leq 2g$. The Jones polynomial, as a three-dimensional invariant, is not obviously related to $s$ or $g$, but the network achieves greater than $95\%$ accuracy in predicting either from $J(q)$. Moreover, similar accuracy can be achieved by evaluating $J(q)$ at roots of unity. This suggests a relationship with $SU(2)$ Chern—Simons theory, and we review the gauge theory construction of Khovanov homology which may be relevant for explaining the network's performance.

  4 citations

• Diagonal fields in critical loop models

  Sylvain Ribault

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 020 (2023) · published 27 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In critical loop models, there exist diagonal fields with arbitrary conformal dimensions, whose $3$-point functions coincide with those of Liouville theory at $c\leq 1$. We study their $N$-point functions, which depend on the $2^{N-1}$ weights of topologically inequivalent loops on a sphere with $N$ punctures. Using a numerical conformal bootstrap approach, we find that $4$-point functions decompose into infinite but discrete linear combinations of conformal blocks. We conclude that diagonal fields belong to an extension of the $O(n)$ model.

  4 citations

• Gravitational multipoles in general stationary spacetimes

  Daniel R. Mayerson

  SciPost Phys. 15, 154 (2023) · published 11 October 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Geroch-Hansen and Thorne (ACMC) formalisms give rigorous and equivalent definitions for gravitational multipoles in stationary vacuum spacetimes. However, despite their ubiquitous use in gravitational physics, it has not been shown that these formalisms can be generalized to non-vacuum stationary solutions, except in a few special cases. This paper shows how the Geroch-Hansen formalism can be generalized to arbitrary non-vacuum stationary spacetimes for metrics that are sufficiently smooth at infinity. The key is the construction of an improved twist vector, which is well-defined under a mild topological condition on the spacetime (which is automatically satisfied for black holes). Ambiguities in the construction of this improved twist vector are discussed and fixed by imposing natural "gauge fixing" conditions, which also immediately lead to the equivalence between the Geroch-Hansen and Thorne formalisms for such arbitrary stationary spacetimes.

  4 citations

• Pfaffian invariant identifies magnetic obstructed atomic insulators

  Isidora Araya Day, Anastasiia Varentcova, Daniel Varjas, Anton R. Akhmerov

  SciPost Phys. 15, 114 (2023) · published 25 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We derive a $\mathbb{Z}_4$ topological invariant that extends beyond symmetry eigenvalues and Wilson loops and classifies two-dimensional insulators with a $C_4 \mathcal{T}$ symmetry. To formulate this invariant, we consider an irreducible Brillouin zone and constrain the spectrum of the open Wilson lines that compose its boundary. We fix the gauge ambiguity of the Wilson lines by using the Pfaffian at high symmetry momenta. As a result, we distinguish the four $C_4 \mathcal{T}$-protected atomic insulators, each of which is adiabatically connected to a different atomic limit. We establish the correspondence between the invariant and the obstructed phases by constructing both the atomic limit Hamiltonians and a $C_4 \mathcal{T}$-symmetric model that interpolates between them. The phase diagram shows that $C_4 \mathcal{T}$ insulators allow $\pm 1$ and $2$ changes of the invariant, where the latter is overlooked by symmetry indicators.

  4 citations

• Tunable dispersion of the edge states in the integer quantum Hall effect

  Maik Malki, Götz S. Uhrig

  SciPost Phys. 3, 032 (2017) · published 29 October 2017 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Topological aspects represent currently a boosting area in condensed matter physics. Yet there are very few suggestions for technical applications of topological phenomena. Still, the most important is the calibration of resistance standards by means of the integer quantum Hall effect. We propose modifications of samples displaying the integer quantum Hall effect which render the tunability of the Fermi velocity possible by external control parameters such as gate voltages. In this way, so far unexplored possibilities arise to realize devices such as tunable delay lines and interferometers.

  4 citations

• Dynamical localization and slow thermalization in a class of disorder-free periodically driven one-dimensional interacting systems

  Sreemayee Aditya, Diptiman Sen

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 083 (2023) · published 30 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study if the interplay between dynamical localization and interactions in periodically driven quantum systems can give rise to anomalous thermalization behavior. Specifically, we consider one-dimensional models with interacting spinless fermions with nearest-neighbor hopping and density-density interactions, and a periodically driven on-site potential with spatial periodicity m=2 and m=4. At a dynamical localization point, these models evade thermalization either due to the presence of an extensive number of conserved quantities (for weak interactions) or due to the kinetic constraints caused by drive-induced resonances (for strong interactions). Our models therefore illustrate interesting mechanisms for generating constrained dynamics in Floquet systems which are difficult to realize in an undriven system.

  4 citations

• A unified diagrammatic approach to topological fixed point models

  A. Bauer, J. Eisert, C. Wille

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 038 (2022) · published 25 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We introduce a systematic mathematical language for describing fixed point models and apply it to the study to topological phases of matter. The framework established is reminiscent to that of state-sum models and lattice topological quantum field theories, but is formalized and unified in terms of tensor networks. In contrast to existing tensor network ansatzes for the study of ground states of topologically ordered phases, the tensor networks in our formalism directly represent discrete path integrals in Euclidean space-time. This language is more immediately related to the Hamiltonian defining the model than other approaches, via a Trotterization of the respective imaginary time evolution. We illustrate our formalism at hand of simple examples, and demonstrate its full power by expressing known families of models in 2+1 dimensions in their most general form, namely string-net models and Kitaev quantum doubles based on weak Hopf algebras. To elucidate the versatility of our formalism, we also show how fermionic phases of matter can be described and provide a framework for topological fixed point models in 3+1 dimensions.

  4 citations

• Engineering spectral properties of non-interacting lattice Hamiltonians

  Ali G. Moghaddam, Dmitry Chernyavsky, Corentin Morice, Jasper van Wezel, Jeroen van den Brink

  SciPost Phys. 11, 109 (2021) · published 22 December 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate the spectral properties of one-dimensional lattices with position-dependent hopping amplitudes and on-site potentials that are smooth bounded functions of the position. We find an exact integral form for the density of states (DOS) in the limit of an infinite number of sites, which we derive using a mixed Bloch-Wannier basis consisting of piecewise Wannier functions. Next, we provide an exact solution for the inverse problem of constructing the position-dependence of hopping in a lattice model yielding a given DOS. We confirm analytic results by comparing them to numerics obtained by exact diagonalization for various incarnations of position-dependent hoppings and on-site potentials. Finally, we generalize the DOS integral form to multi-orbital tight-binding models with longer-range hoppings and in higher dimensions.

  4 citations

• Scalable imaginary time evolution with neural network quantum states

  Eimantas Ledinauskas, Egidijus Anisimovas

  SciPost Phys. 15, 229 (2023) · published 6 December 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The representation of a quantum wave function as a neural network quantum state (NQS) provides a powerful variational ansatz for finding the ground states of many-body quantum systems. Nevertheless, due to the complex variational landscape, traditional methods often employ the computation of quantum geometric tensor, consequently complicating optimization techniques. Contributing to efforts aiming to formulate alternative methods, we introduce an approach that bypasses the computation of the metric tensor and instead relies exclusively on first-order gradient descent with Euclidean metric. This allows for the application of larger neural networks and the use of more standard optimization methods from other machine learning domains. Our approach leverages the principle of imaginary time evolution by constructing a target wave function derived from the Schrödinger equation, and then training the neural network to approximate this target. We make this method adaptive and stable by determining the optimal time step and keeping the target fixed until the energy of the NQS decreases. We demonstrate the benefits of our scheme via numerical experiments with 2D $J_1-J_2$, Heisenberg model, which showcase enhanced stability and energy accuracy in comparison to direct energy loss minimization. Importantly, our approach displays competitiveness with the well-established density matrix renormalization group method and NQS optimization with stochastic reconfiguration.

  4 citations

• Robust semi-Dirac points and unconventional topological phase transitions in doped superconducting Sr2IrO4 tunnel coupled to t2g electron systems

  Mats Horsdal, Timo Hyart

  SciPost Phys. 3, 041 (2017) · published 22 December 2017 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Semi-Dirac fermions are known to exist at the critical points of topological phase transitions requiring fine-tuning of the parameters. We show that robust semi-Dirac points can appear in a heterostructure consisting of superconducting Sr2IrO4 and a t2g electron system (t2g-ES) without fine-tuning. They are topologically stable in the presence of the symmetries of the model, metallic t2g-ES and a single active band in Sr2IrO4. If the t2g metal is coupled to two different layers of Sr2IrO4 (effectively a multiband superconductor) in a three-layer-structure the semi-Dirac points can split into two stable Dirac points with opposite chiralities. A similar transition can be achieved if the t2g-ES supports intrinsic triplet superconductivity. By considering Sr2RuO4 as an example of a t2g-ES we predict a rich topological phase diagram as a function of various parameters.

  4 citations