Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Quantum dynamics in 1D lattice models with synthetic horizons

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

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 042 (2022) · published 29 August 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate the wave packet dynamics and eigenstate localization in recently proposed generalized lattice models whose low-energy dynamics mimic a quantum field theory in (1+1)D curved spacetime with the aim of creating systems analogous to black holes. We identify a critical slowdown of zero-energy wave packets in a family of 1D tight-binding models with power-law variation of the hopping parameter, indicating the presence of a horizon. Remarkably, wave packets with non-zero energies bounce back and reverse direction before reaching the horizon. We additionally observe a power-law localization of all eigenstates, each bordering a region of exponential suppression. These forbidden regions dictate the closest possible approach to the horizon of states with any given energy. These numerical findings are supported by a semiclassical description of the wave packet trajectories, which are shown to coincide with the geodesics expected for the effective metric emerging from the considered lattice models in the continuum limit.

  5 citations

• Ferromagnets, a new anomaly, instantons, and (noninvertible) continuous translations

  Nathan Seiberg

  SciPost Phys. 18, 063 (2025) · published 21 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We discuss a large class of classical field theories with continuous translation symmetry. In the quantum theory, a new anomaly explicitly breaks this translation symmetry to a discrete symmetry. Furthermore, this discrete translation symmetry is extended by a $d-2$-form global symmetry. All these theories can be described as $U(1)$ gauge theories where Gauss law states that the system has nonzero charge density. Special cases of such systems can be phrased as theories with a compact phase space. Examples are ferromagnets and lattices in the lowest Landau level. In some cases, the broken continuous translation symmetry can be resurrected as a noninvertible symmetry. We clarify the relation between the discrete translation symmetry of the continuum theory and the discrete translation symmetry of an underlying lattice model. Our treatment unifies, clarifies, and extends earlier works on the same subject.

  5 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.

  5 citations

• Pauli crystal melting in shaken optical traps

  Jiabing Xiang, Paolo Molignini, Miriam Büttner, Axel U. J. Lode

  SciPost Phys. 14, 003 (2023) · published 13 January 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Pauli crystals are ordered geometric structures that emerge in trapped noninteracting fermionic systems due to their underlying Pauli repulsion. The deformation of Pauli crystals - often called melting - has been recently observed in experiments, but the mechanism that leads to it remains unclear. We address this question by studying the melting dynamics of $N=6$ fermions as a function of periodic driving and experimental imperfections in the trap (anisotropy and anharmonicity) by employing a combination of numerical simulations and Floquet theory. Surprisingly, we reveal that the melting of Pauli crystals is not simply a direct consequence of an increase in system energy, but is instead related to the trap geometry and the population of the Floquet modes. We show that the melting is absent in traps without imperfections and triggered only by a sufficiently large shaking amplitude in traps with imperfections.

  5 citations

• kdotpy: k·p theory on a lattice for simulating semiconductor band structures

  Wouter Beugeling, Florian Bayer, Christian Berger, Jan Böttcher, Leonid Bovkun, Christopher Fuchs, Maximilian Hofer, Saquib Shamim, Moritz Siebert, Li-Xian Wang, Ewelina M. Hankiewicz, Tobias Kießling, Hartmut Buhmann, Laurens W. Molenkamp

  SciPost Phys. Codebases 47 (2025) · published 28 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The software project kdotpy provides a Python application for simulating electronic band structures of semiconductor devices with k·p theory on a lattice. The application implements the widely used Kane model, capable of reliable predictions of transport and optical properties for a large variety of topological and non-topological materials with a zincblende crystal structure. The application automates the tedious steps of simulating band structures. The user inputs the relevant physical parameters on the command line, for example materials and dimensions of the device, magnetic field, and temperature. The program constructs the appropriate matrix Hamiltonian on a discretized lattice of spatial coordinates and diagonalizes it. The physical observables are extracted from the eigenvalues and eigenvectors and saved as output. The program is highly customizable with a large set of configuration options and material parameters.

  5 citations

• Correlation functions and characteristic lengthscales in flat band superconductors

  Maxime Thumin, Georges Bouzerar

  SciPost Phys. 18, 025 (2025) · published 21 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The possibility of an unconventional form of high temperature superconductivity in flat band (FB) material does not cease to challenge our understanding of the physics in correlated systems. Here, we calculate the normal and anomalous one-particle correlation functions in various one and two dimensional FB systems and systematically extract the characteristic lengthscales. When the Fermi energy is located in the FB, it is found that the coherence length ($\xi$) is of the order of the lattice spacing and weakly sensitive to the strength of the electron-electron interaction. Recently, it has been argued that in FB compounds $\xi$ could be decomposed into a conventional part of BCS type ($\xi_{BCS}$) and a geometric contribution which characterises the FB eigenstates, the quantum metric ($\langle g \rangle$). However, by calculating the coherence length in two possible ways, our calculations show that $\xi ≠ \sqrt{\langle g \rangle.}$ This may suggest that the link between QM and coherence length is more complex, and leaves us with the open question: what is the appropriate definition of the coherence length in flat-band systems?

  5 citations

• Fractons on curved spacetime in 2 + 1 dimensions

  Jelle Hartong, Giandomenico Palumbo, Simon Pekar, Alfredo Perez, Stefan Prohazka

  SciPost Phys. 18, 022 (2025) · published 17 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study dipole Chern–Simons theory with and without a cosmological constant in $2+1$ dimensions. We write the theory in a second order formulation and show that this leads to a fracton gauge theory coupled to Aristotelian geometry which can also be coupled to matter. This coupling exhibits the remarkable property of generalizing dipole gauge invariance to curved spacetimes, without placing any limitations on the possible geometries. We also use the second order formulation to construct a higher dimensional generalization of the action. Finally, for the $(2+1)$-dimensional Chern–Simons theory we find solutions and interpret these as electric monopoles, analyze their charges and argue that the asymptotic symmetries are infinite-dimensional.

  5 citations

• Excitonic Bloch equations from first principles

  Gianluca Stefanucci, Enrico Perfetto

  SciPost Phys. 18, 009 (2025) · published 9 January 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The ultrafast conversion of coherent excitons into incoherent excitons, as well as the subsequent exciton diffusion and thermalization, are central topics in current scientific research due to their relevance in optoelectronics, photovoltaics and photocatalysis. Current approaches to the exciton dynamics rely on model Hamiltonians that depend on already screened electron-electron and electron-phonon couplings. In this work, we subject the state-of-the-art methods to scrutiny using the ab initio Hamiltonian for electrons and phonons. We offer a rigorous and intuitive proof demonstrating that the exciton dynamics governed by model Hamiltonians is affected by an overscreening of the electron-phonon interaction. The introduction of an auxiliary exciton species, termed the irreducible exciton, enables us to formulate a theory free from overscreening and derive the excitonic Bloch equations. These equations describe the time-evolution of coherent, irreducible, and incoherent excitons during and after the optical excitation. They are applicable beyond the linear regime, and predict that the total number of excitons is preserved when the external fields are switched off.

  5 citations

• Topologically ordered steady states in open quantum systems

  Zijian Wang, Xu-Dong Dai, He-Ran Wang, Zhong Wang

  SciPost Phys. 17, 167 (2024) · published 13 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The interplay between dissipation and correlation can lead to novel emergent phenomena in open systems. Here we investigate "steady-state topological order" defined by the robust topological degeneracy of steady states, which is a generalization of the ground-state topological degeneracy of closed systems. Specifically, we construct two representative Liouvillians using engineered dissipation, and exactly solve the steady states with topological degeneracy. We find that while the steady-state topological degeneracy is fragile under noise in two dimensions, it is stable in three dimensions, where a genuine many-body phase with topological degeneracy is realized. We identify universal features of steady-state topological physics such as the deconfined emergent gauge field and slow relaxation dynamics of topological defects. The transition from a topologically ordered phase to a trivial phase is also investigated via numerical simulation. Our work highlights the essential difference between ground-state topological order in closed systems and steady-state topological order in open systems.

  5 citations

• Gauging U(1) symmetry in (2+1)d topological phases

  Meng Cheng, Chao-Ming Jian

  SciPost Phys. 12, 202 (2022) · published 27 June 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the gauging of a global U(1) symmetry in a gapped system in (2+1)d. The gauging procedure has been well-understood for a finite global symmetry group, which leads to a new gapped phase with emergent gauge structure and can be described algebraically using the mathematical framework of modular tensor category (MTC). We develop a categorical description of U(1) gauging in an MTC, taking into account the dynamics of U(1) gauge field absent in the finite group case. When the ungauged system has a non-zero Hall conductance, the gauged theory remains gapped and we determine the complete set of anyon data for the gauged theory. On the other hand, when the Hall conductance vanishes, we argue that gauging has the same effect of condensing a special Abelian anyon nucleated by inserting $2\pi$ U(1) flux. We apply our procedure to the SU(2)$_k$ MTCs and derive the full MTC data for the $\mathbb{Z}_k$ parafermion MTCs. We also discuss a dual U(1) symmetry that emerges after the original U(1) symmetry of an MTC is gauged.

  5 citations