Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Fractal Symmetric Phases of Matter

  Trithep Devakul, Yizhi You, F. J. Burnell, S. L. Sondhi

  SciPost Phys. 6, 007 (2019) · published 16 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study spin systems which exhibit symmetries that act on a fractal subset of sites, with fractal structures generated by linear cellular automata. In addition to the trivial symmetric paramagnet and spontaneously symmetry broken phases, we construct additional fractal symmetry protected topological (FSPT) phases via a decorated defect approach. Such phases have edges along which fractal symmetries are realized projectively, leading to a symmetry protected degeneracy along the edge. Isolated excitations above the ground state are symmetry protected fractons, which cannot be moved without breaking the symmetry. In 3D, our construction leads additionally to FSPT phases protected by higher form fractal symmetries and fracton topologically ordered phases enriched by the additional fractal symmetries.

  95 citations

• Tangent-space methods for uniform matrix product states

  Laurens Vanderstraeten, Jutho Haegeman, Frank Verstraete

  SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 7 (2019) · published 15 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In these lecture notes we give a technical overview of tangent-space methods for matrix product states in the thermodynamic limit. We introduce the manifold of uniform matrix product states, show how to compute different types of observables, and discuss the concept of a tangent space. We explain how to variationally optimize ground-state approximations, implement real-time evolution and describe elementary excitations for a given model Hamiltonian. Also, we explain how matrix product states approximate fixed points of one-dimensional transfer matrices. We show how all these methods can be translated to the language of continuous matrix product states for one-dimensional field theories. We conclude with some extensions of the tangent-space formalism and with an outlook to new applications.

  168 citations

• Goldstone modes and photonization for higher form symmetries

  Diego M. Hofman, Nabil Iqbal

  SciPost Phys. 6, 006 (2019) · published 14 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We discuss generalized global symmetries and their breaking. We extend Goldstone's theorem to higher form symmetries by showing that a perimeter law for an extended $p$-dimensional defect operator charged under a continuous $p$-form generalized global symmetry necessarily results in a gapless mode in the spectrum. We also show that a $p$-form symmetry in a conformal theory in $2(p+1)$ dimensions has a free realization. In four dimensions this means any 1-form symmetry in a $CFT_4$ can be realized by free Maxwell electrodynamics, i.e. the current can be photonized. The photonized theory has infinitely many conserved 0-form charges that are constructed by integrating the symmetry currents against suitable 1-forms. We study these charges by developing a twistor-based formalism that is a 4d analogue of the usual holomorphic complex analysis familiar in $CFT_2$. The charges are shown to obey an algebra with central extension, which is an analogue of the 2d Abelian Kac-Moody algebra for higher form symmetries.

  65 citations

• The spin Drude weight of the XXZ chain and generalized hydrodynamics

  Andrew Urichuk, Yahya Oez, Andreas Klümper, Jesko Sirker

  SciPost Phys. 6, 005 (2019) · published 11 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Based on a generalized free energy we derive exact thermodynamic Bethe ansatz formulas for the expectation value of the spin current, the spin current-charge, charge-charge correlators, and consequently the Drude weight. These formulas agree with recent conjectures within the generalized hydrodynamics formalism. They follow, however, directly from a proper treatment of the operator expression of the spin current. The result for the Drude weight is identical to the one obtained 20 years ago based on the Kohn formula and TBA. We numerically evaluate the Drude weight for anisotropies $\Delta=\cos(\gamma)$ with $\gamma = n\pi/m$, $n\leq m$ integer and coprime. We prove, furthermore, that the high-temperature asymptotics for general $\gamma=\pi n/m$---obtained by analysis of the quantum transfer matrix eigenvalues---agrees with the bound which has been obtained by the construction of quasi-local charges.

  49 citations

• Non-equilibrium quantum transport in presence of a defect: the non-interacting case

  Marko Ljubotina, Spyros Sotiriadis, Tomaž Prosen

  SciPost Phys. 6, 004 (2019) · published 10 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study quantum transport after an inhomogeneous quantum quench in a free fermion lattice system in the presence of a localised defect. Using a new rigorous analytical approach for the calculation of large time and distance asymptotics of physical observables, we derive the exact profiles of particle density and current. Our analysis shows that the predictions of a semiclassical approach that has been extensively applied in similar problems match exactly with the correct asymptotics, except for possible finite distance corrections close to the defect. We generalise our formulas to an arbitrary non-interacting particle-conserving defect, expressing them in terms of its scattering properties.

  32 citations

• Comments on abelian Higgs models and persistent order

  Zohar Komargodski, Adar Sharon, Ryan Thorngren, Xinan Zhou

  SciPost Phys. 6, 003 (2019) · published 9 January 2019 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A natural question about Quantum Field Theory is whether there is a deformation to a trivial gapped phase. If the underlying theory has an anomaly, then symmetric deformations can never lead to a trivial phase. We discuss such discrete anomalies in Abelian Higgs models in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions. We emphasize the role of charge conjugation symmetry in these anomalies; for example, we obtain nontrivial constraints on the degrees of freedom that live on a domain wall in the VBS phase of the Abelian Higgs model in 2+1 dimensions. In addition, as a byproduct of our analysis, we show that in 1+1 dimensions the Abelian Higgs model is dual to the Ising model. We also study variations of the Abelian Higgs model in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions where there is no dynamical particle of unit charge. These models have a center symmetry and additional discrete anomalies. In the absence of a dynamical unit charge particle, the Ising transition in the 1+1 dimensional Abelian Higgs model is removed. These models without a unit charge particle exhibit a remarkably persistent order: we prove that the system cannot be disordered by either quantum or thermal fluctuations. Equivalently, when these theories are studied on a circle, no matter how small or large the circle is, the ground state is non-trivial.

  119 citations

• Momentum-space and real-space Berry curvatures in Mn$_{3}$Sn

  Xiaokang Li, Liangcai Xu, Huakun Zuo, Alaska Subedi, Zengwei Zhu, Kamran Behnia

  SciPost Phys. 5, 063 (2018) · published 18 December 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Mn$_{3}$X (X= Sn, Ge) are noncollinear antiferromagnets hosting a large anomalous Hall effect (AHE). Weyl nodes in the electronic dispersions are believed to cause this AHE, but their locus in the momentum space is yet to be pinned down. We present a detailed study of the Hall conductivity tensor and magnetization in Mn$_{3}$Sn crystals and find that in the presence of a moderate magnetic field, spin texture sets the orientation of the $k$-space Berry curvature with no detectable in-plane anisotropy due to the $Z_6$ symmetry of the underlying lattice. We quantify the energy cost of domain nucleation and show that themultidomain regime is restricted to a narrow field window. Comparing the field dependence of AHE and magnetization, we find that there is a distinct component in the AHE which does not scale with magnetization when the domain walls are erected. This so-called `topological' Hall effect provides indirect evidence for a non-coplanar spin components and real-space Berry curvature in domain walls.

  32 citations

• The droplet formation-dissolution transition in different ensembles: Finite-size scaling from two perspectives

  Franz Paul Spitzner, Johannes Zierenberg, Wolfhard Janke

  SciPost Phys. 5, 062 (2018) · published 13 December 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The formation and dissolution of a droplet is an important mechanism related to various nucleation phenomena. Here, we address the droplet formation-dissolution transition in a two-dimensional Lennard-Jones gas to demonstrate a consistent finite-size scaling approach from two perspectives using orthogonal control parameters. For the canonical ensemble, this means that we fix the temperature while varying the density and vice versa. Using specialised parallel multicanonical methods for both cases, we confirm analytical predictions at fixed temperature (rigorously only proven for lattice systems) and corresponding scaling predictions from expansions at fixed density. Importantly, our methodological approach provides us with reference quantities from the grand canonical ensemble that enter the analytical predictions. Our orthogonal finite-size scaling setup can be exploited for theoretical and experimental investigations of general nucleation phenomena - if one identifies the corresponding reference ensemble and adapts the theory accordingly. In this case, our numerical approach can be readily translated to the corresponding ensembles and thereby proves very useful for numerical studies of equilibrium droplet formation, in general.

  1 citation

• Exotic criticality in the dimerized spin-1 $XXZ$ chain with single-ion anisotropy

  Satoshi Ejima, Tomoki Yamaguchi, Fabian H. L. Essler, Florian Lange, Yukinori Ohta, Holger Fehske

  SciPost Phys. 5, 059 (2018) · published 7 December 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider the dimerized spin-1 $XXZ$ chain with single-ion anisotropy $D$. In absence of an explicit dimerization there are three phases: a large-$D$, an antiferromagnetically ordered and a Haldane phase. This phase structure persists up to a critical dimerization, above which the Haldane phase disappears. We show that for weak dimerization the phases are separated by Gaussian and Ising quantum phase transitions. One of the Ising transitions terminates in a critical point in the universality class of the dilute Ising model. We comment on the relevance of our results to experiments on quasi-one-dimensional anisotropic spin-1 quantum magnets.

  13 citations

• Determination of the time scale of photoemission from the measurement of spin polarization

  Mauro Fanciulli, J. Hugo Dil

  SciPost Phys. 5, 058 (2018) · published 6 December 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Eisenbud-Wigner-Smith (EWS) time delay of photoemission depends on the phase term of the matrix element describing the transition. Because of an interference process between partial channels, the photoelectrons acquire a spin polarization which is also related to the phase term. The analytical model for estimating the time delay by measuring the spin polarization is reviewed in this manuscript. In particular, the distinction between scattering EWS and interfering EWS time delay will be introduced, providing an insight in the chronoscopy of photoemission. The method is applied to the recent experimental data for Cu(111) presented in M. Fanciulli et al., PRL 118, 067402 (2017), allowing to give better upper and lower bounds and estimates for the EWS time delays.

  7 citations