Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Information geometry in quantum field theory: lessons from simple examples

  Johanna Erdmenger, Kevin T. Grosvenor, Ro Jefferson

  SciPost Phys. 8, 073 (2020) · published 6 May 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Motivated by the increasing connections between information theory and high-energy physics, particularly in the context of the AdS/CFT correspondence, we explore the information geometry associated to a variety of simple systems. By studying their Fisher metrics, we derive some general lessons that may have important implications for the application of information geometry in holography. We begin by demonstrating that the symmetries of the physical theory under study play a strong role in the resulting geometry, and that the appearance of an AdS metric is a relatively general feature. We then investigate what information the Fisher metric retains about the physics of the underlying theory by studying the geometry for both the classical 2d Ising model and the corresponding 1d free fermion theory, and find that the curvature diverges precisely at the phase transition on both sides. We discuss the differences that result from placing a metric on the space of theories vs. states, using the example of coherent free fermion states. We compare the latter to the metric on the space of coherent free boson states and show that in both cases the metric is determined by the symmetries of the corresponding density matrix. We also clarify some misconceptions in the literature pertaining to different notions of flatness associated to metric and non-metric connections, with implications for how one interprets the curvature of the geometry. Our results indicate that in general, caution is needed when connecting the AdS geometry arising from certain models with the AdS/CFT correspondence, and seek to provide a useful collection of guidelines for future progress in this exciting area.

  19 citations

• Symmetries of the black hole interior and singularity regularization

  Marc Geiller, Etera R. Livine, Francesco Sartini

  SciPost Phys. 10, 022 (2021) · published 29 January 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We reveal an $\mathfrak{iso}(2,1)$ Poincar\'e algebra of conserved charges associated with the dynamics of the interior of black holes. The action of these Noether charges integrates to a symmetry of the gravitational system under the Poincar\'e group ISO$(2,1)$, which allows to describe the evolution of the geometry inside the black hole in terms of geodesics and horocycles of AdS${}_2$. At the Lagrangian level, this symmetry corresponds to M\"obius transformations of the proper time together with translations. Remarkably, this is a physical symmetry changing the state of the system, which also naturally forms a subgroup of the much larger $\textrm{BMS}_{3}=\textrm{Diff}(S^1)\ltimes\textrm{Vect}(S^1)$ group, where $S^1$ is the compactified time axis. It is intriguing to discover this structure for the black hole interior, and this hints at a fundamental role of BMS symmetry for black hole physics. The existence of this symmetry provides a powerful criterion to discriminate between different regularization and quantization schemes. Following loop quantum cosmology, we identify a regularized set of variables and Hamiltonian for the black hole interior, which allows to resolve the singularity in a black-to-white hole transition while preserving the Poincar\'e symmetry on phase space. This unravels new aspects of symmetry for black holes, and opens the way towards a rigorous group quantization of the interior.

  19 citations

• Relaxation of the order-parameter statistics in the Ising quantum chain

  Mario Collura

  SciPost Phys. 7, 072 (2019) · published 2 December 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the out-of-equilibrium probability distribution function of the local order parameter in the transverse field Ising quantum chain. Starting from a fully polarised state, the relaxation of the ferromagnetic order is analysed: we obtain a full analytical description of the late-time stationary distribution by means of a remarkable relation to the partition function of a 3-states classical model. Accordingly, depending on the phase whereto the post-quench Hamiltonian belongs, the probability distribution may locally retain memories of the initial long-range order. When quenching deep in the broken-symmetry phase, we show that the stationary order-parameter statistics is indeed related to that of the ground state. We highlight this connection by inspecting the ground-state equilibrium properties, where we propose an effective description based on the block-diagonal approximation of the $n$-point spin correlation functions.

  19 citations

• Convergence of hydrodynamic modes: insights from kinetic theory and holography

  Michal P. Heller, Alexandre Serantes, Michał Spaliński, Viktor Svensson, Benjamin Withers

  SciPost Phys. 10, 123 (2021) · published 1 June 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the mechanisms setting the radius of convergence of hydrodynamic dispersion relations in kinetic theory in the relaxation time approximation. This introduces a qualitatively new feature with respect to holography: a nonhydrodynamic sector represented by a branch cut in the retarded Green's function. In contrast with existing holographic examples, we find that the radius of convergence in the shear channel is set by a collision of the hydrodynamic pole with a branch point. In the sound channel it is set by a pole-pole collision on a non-principal sheet of the Green's function. More generally, we examine the consequences of the implicit function theorem in hydrodynamics and give a prescription to determine a set of points that necessarily includes all complex singularities of the dispersion relation. This may be used as a practical tool to assist in determining the radius of convergence of hydrodynamic dispersion relations.

  19 citations

• Symmetry meets AI

  Gabriela Barenboim, Johannes Hirn, Veronica Sanz

  SciPost Phys. 11, 014 (2021) · published 15 July 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We explore whether Neural Networks (NNs) can {\it discover} the presence of symmetries as they learn to perform a task. For this, we train hundreds of NNs on a {\it decoy task} based on well-controlled Physics templates, where no information on symmetry is provided. We use the output from the last hidden layer of all these NNs, projected to fewer dimensions, as the input for a symmetry classification task, and show that information on symmetry had indeed been identified by the original NN without guidance. As an interdisciplinary application of this procedure, we identify the presence and level of symmetry in artistic paintings from different styles such as those of Picasso, Pollock and Van Gogh.

  19 citations

• Looking at supersymmetric black holes for a very long time

  Henry W. Lin, Juan Maldacena, Liza Rozenberg, Jieru Shan

  SciPost Phys. 14, 128 (2023) · published 24 May 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study correlation functions for extremal supersymmetric black holes. It is necessary to take into account the strongly coupled nature of the boundary supergraviton mode. We consider the case with ${\cal N}=2$ supercharges which is the minimal amount of supersymmetry needed to give a large ground state degeneracy, separated from the continuum. Using the exact solution for this theory we derive formulas for the two point function and we also give integral expressions for any $n$-point correlator. These correlators are time independent at large times and approach constant values that depend on the masses and couplings of the bulk theory. We also explain that in the non-supersymmetric case, the correlators develop a universal time dependence at long times. This paper is the longer companion paper of arXiv:2207.00407.

  19 citations

• On the low-energy description for tunnel-coupled one-dimensional Bose gases

  Yuri D van Nieuwkerk, Fabian H L Essler

  SciPost Phys. 9, 025 (2020) · published 25 August 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider a model of two tunnel-coupled one-dimensional Bose gases with hard-wall boundary conditions. Bosonizing the model and retaining only the most relevant interactions leads to a decoupled theory consisting of a quantum sine-Gordon model and a free boson, describing respectively the antisymmetric and symmetric combinations of the phase fields. We go beyond this description by retaining the perturbation with the next smallest scaling dimension. This perturbation carries conformal spin and couples the two sectors. We carry out a detailed investigation of the effects of this coupling on the non-equilibrium dynamics of the model. We focus in particular on the role played by spatial inhomogeneities in the initial state in a quantum quench setup.

  19 citations

• Gauging the Kitaev chain

  Umberto Borla, Ruben Verresen, Jeet Shah, Sergej Moroz

  SciPost Phys. 10, 148 (2021) · published 18 June 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We gauge the fermion parity symmetry of the Kitaev chain. While the bulk of the model becomes an Ising chain of gauge-invariant spins in a tilted field, near the boundaries the global fermion parity symmetry survives gauging, leading to local gauge-invariant Majorana operators. In the absence of vortices, the Higgs phase exhibits fermionic symmetry-protected topological (SPT) order distinct from the Kitaev chain. Moreover, the deconfined phase can be stable even in the presence of vortices. We also undertake a comprehensive study of a gently gauged model which interpolates between the ordinary and gauged Kitaev chains. This showcases rich quantum criticality and illuminates the topological nature of the Higgs phase. Even in the absence of superconducting terms, gauging leads to an SPT phase which is intrinsically gapless due to an emergent anomaly.

  19 citations

• Conditions for fully gapped topological superconductivity in topological insulator nanowires

  Fernando de Juan, Jens H. Bardarson, Roni Ilan

  SciPost Phys. 6, 060 (2019) · published 17 May 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Among the different platforms to engineer Majorana fermions in one-dimensional topological superconductors, topological insulator nanowires remain a promising option. Threading an odd number of flux quanta through these wires induces an odd number of surface channels, which can then be gapped with proximity induced pairing. Because of the flux and depending on energetics, the phase of this surface pairing may or may not wind around the wire in the form of a vortex. Here we show that for wires with discrete rotational symmetry, this vortex is necessary to produce a fully gapped topological superconductor with localized Majorana end states. Without a vortex the proximitized wire remains gapless, and it is only if the symmetry is broken by disorder that a gap develops, which is much smaller than the one obtained with a vortex. These results are explained with the help of a continuum model and validated numerically with a tight binding model, and highlight the benefit of a vortex for reliable use of Majorana fermions in this platform.

  19 citations

• DMRG study of strongly interacting $\mathbb{Z}_2$ flatbands: a toy model inspired by twisted bilayer graphene

  P. Myles Eugenio, Ceren B. Dağ

  SciPost Phys. Core 3, 015 (2020) · published 9 December 2020 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Strong interactions between electrons occupying bands of opposite (or like) topological quantum numbers (Chern$=\pm1$), and with flat dispersion, are studied by using lowest Landau level (LLL) wavefunctions. More precisely, we determine the ground states for two scenarios at half-filling: (i) LLL's with opposite sign of magnetic field, and therefore opposite Chern number; and (ii) LLL's with the same magnetic field. In the first scenario -- which we argue to be a toy model inspired by the chirally symmetric continuum model for twisted bilayer graphene -- the opposite Chern LLL's are Kramer pairs, and thus there exists time-reversal symmetry ($\mathbb{Z}_2$). Turning on repulsive interactions drives the system to spontaneously break time-reversal symmetry -- a quantum anomalous Hall state described by one particle per LLL orbital, either all positive Chern $|++\cdots+>$ or all negative $|--\cdots->$. If instead, interactions are taken between electrons of like-Chern number, the ground state is an $SU(2)$ ferromagnet, with total spin pointing along an arbitrary direction, as with the $\nu=1$ spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ quantum Hall ferromagnet. The ground states and some of their excitations for both of these scenarios are argued analytically, and further complimented by density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) and exact diagonalization.

  18 citations