Publications

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• 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ mirror symmetry with 1-form symmetry

  Satoshi Nawata, Marcus Sperling, Hao Ellery Wang, Zhenghao Zhong

  SciPost Phys. 15, 033 (2023) · published 27 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The study of 3d mirror symmetry has greatly enhanced our understanding of various aspects of 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ theories. In this paper, starting with known mirror pairs of 3d $\mathcal{N}=4$ quiver gauge theories and gauging discrete subgroups of the flavour or topological symmetry, we construct new mirror pairs with non-trivial 1-form symmetry. By providing explicit quiver descriptions of these theories, we thoroughly specify their symmetries (0-form, 1-form, and 2-group) and the mirror maps between them.

  7 citations

• A simple theory for quantum quenches in the ANNNI model

  Jacob H. Robertson, Riccardo Senese, Fabian H. L. Essler

  SciPost Phys. 15, 032 (2023) · published 27 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In a recent numerical study by Haldar et al. [Phys. Rev. X 11, 031062] it was shown that signatures of proximate quantum critical points can be observed at early and intermediate times after certain quantum quenches. Said work focused mainly on the case of the axial next-nearest neighbour Ising (ANNNI) model. Here we construct a simple time-dependent mean-field theory that allows us to obtain a quantitatively accurate description of these quenches at short times, which for reasons we explain remains a fair approximation at late times (with some caveats). Our approach provides a simple framework for understanding the reported numerical results as well as fundamental limitations on detecting quantum critical points through quench dynamics. We moreover explain the origin of the peculiar oscillatory behaviour seen in various observables as arising from the formation of a long-lived bound state.

  3 citations

• Late-time correlators and complex geodesics in de Sitter space

  Lars Aalsma, Mir Mehedi Faruk, Jan Pieter van der Schaar, Manus Visser, Job de Witte

  SciPost Phys. 15, 031 (2023) · published 26 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study two-point correlation functions of a massive free scalar field in de Sitter space using the heat kernel formalism. Focusing on two operators in conjugate static patches we derive a geodesic approximation to the two-point correlator valid for large mass and at late times. This expression involves a sum over two complex conjugate geodesics that correctly reproduces the large-mass, late-time limit of the exact two-point function in the Bunch-Davies vacuum. The exponential decay of the late-time correlator is associated to the timelike part of the complex geodesics. We emphasize that the late-time exponential decay is in tension with the finite maximal entropy of empty de Sitter space, and we briefly discuss how non-perturbative corrections might resolve this paradox.

  11 citations

• Integrability and quench dynamics in the spin-1 central spin XX model

  Long-Hin Tang, David M. Long, Anatoli Polkovnikov, Anushya Chandran, Pieter W. Claeys

  SciPost Phys. 15, 030 (2023) · published 26 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Central spin models provide an idealized description of interactions between a central degree of freedom and a mesoscopic environment of surrounding spins. We show that the family of models with a spin-1 at the center and XX interactions of arbitrary strength with surrounding spins is integrable. Specifically, we derive an extensive set of conserved quantities and obtain the exact eigenstates using the Bethe ansatz. As in the homogenous limit, the states divide into two exponentially large classes: bright states, in which the spin-1 is entangled with its surroundings, and dark states, in which it is not. On resonance, the bright states further break up into two classes depending on their weight on states with central spin polarization zero. These classes are probed in quench dynamics wherein they prevent the central spin from reaching thermal equilibrium. In the single spin-flip sector we explicitly construct the bright states and show that the central spin exhibits oscillatory dynamics as a consequence of the semilocalization of these eigenstates. We relate the integrability to the closely related class of integrable Richardson-Gaudin models, and conjecture that the spin-$s$ central spin XX model is integrable for any $s$.

  4 citations

• Optimizing Floquet engineering for non-equilibrium steady states with gradient-based methods

  Alberto Castro, Shunsuke A. Sato

  SciPost Phys. 15, 029 (2023) · published 26 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Non-equilibrium steady states are created when a periodically driven quantum system is also incoherently interacting with an environment - as it is the case in most realistic situations. The notion of Floquet engineering refers to the manipulation of the properties of systems under periodic perturbations. Although it more frequently refers to the coherent states of isolated systems (or to the transient phase for states that are weakly coupled to the environment), it may sometimes be of more interest to consider the final steady states that are reached after decoherence and dissipation take place. In this work, we demonstrate how those final states can be optimally tuned with respect to a given predefined metric, such as for example the maximization of the temporal average value of some observable, by using multicolor periodic perturbations. We show a computational framework that can be used for that purpose, and exemplify the concept using a simple model for the nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond: the goal in this case is to find the driving periodic magnetic field that maximizes a time-averaged spin component. We show that, for example, this technique permits to prepare states whose spin values are forbidden in thermal equilibrium at any temperature.

  1 citation

• Fermionic defects of topological phases and logical gates

  Ryohei Kobayashi

  SciPost Phys. 15, 028 (2023) · published 25 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We discuss the codimension-1 defects of (2+1)D bosonic topological phases, where the defects can support fermionic degrees of freedom. We refer to such defects as fermionic defects, and introduce a certain subclass of invertible fermionic defects called "gauged Gu-Wen SPT defects" that can shift self-statistics of anyons. We derive a canonical form of a general fermionic invertible defect, in terms of the fusion of a gauged Gu-Wen SPT defect and a bosonic invertible defect decoupled from fermions on the defect. We then derive the fusion rule of generic invertible fermionic defects. The gauged Gu-Wen SPT defects give rise to interesting logical gates of stabilizer codes in the presence of additional ancilla fermions. For example, we find a realization of the CZ logical gate on the (2+1)D $\mathbb{Z}_2$ toric code stacked with a (2+1)D ancilla trivial atomic insulator. We also investigate a gapped fermionic interface between (2+1)D bosonic topological phases realized on the boundary of the (3+1)D Walker-Wang model. In that case, the gapped interface can shift the chiral central charge of the (2+1)D phase. Among these fermionic interfaces, we study an interesting example where the (3+1)D phase has a spatial reflection symmetry, and the fermionic interface is supported on a reflection plane that interpolates a (2+1)D surface topological order and its orientation-reversal. We construct a (3+1)D exactly solvable Hamiltonian realizing this setup, and find that the model generates the $\mathbb{Z}_8$ classification of the (3+1)D invertible phase with spatial reflection symmetry and fermion parity on the reflection plane. We make contact with an effective field theory, known in literature as the exotic invertible phase with spacetime higher-group symmetry.

• Connected correlations in partitioning protocols: A case study and beyond

  Saverio Bocini

  SciPost Phys. 15, 027 (2023) · published 25 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The assumption of local relaxation in inhomogeneous quantum quenches allows to compute asymptotically the expectation value of local observables via hydrodynamic arguments known as generalized hydrodynamics (GHD). In this work we address formally the question of when an observable is local enough to be described by GHD using the playground of partitioning protocols and non-interacting time evolution. We show that any state evolving under a quadratic Hamiltonian can be described via a set of decoupled dynamical fields such that one of those fields can be identified with a space-time-dependent generalisation of the root density. By studying the contribution to a connected spin correlation of each of those fields independently, we derive the locality conditions under which an observable can be described using the root density only. That shows both the regime of validity for hydrodynamic approaches that aim at describing the asymptotic value of observables in term of the root density only, such as GHD, and the locality conditions necessary for Gaussianification to occur.

  1 citation

• p-forms on the celestial sphere

  Laura Donnay, Erfan Esmaeili, Carlo Heissenberg

  SciPost Phys. 15, 026 (2023) · published 25 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct a basis of conformal primary wavefunctions (CPWs) for $p$-form fields in any dimension, calculating their scalar products and exhibiting the change of basis between conventional plane wave and CPW mode expansions. We also perform the analysis of the associated shadow transforms. For each family of $p$-form CPWs, we observe the existence of pure gauge wavefunctions of conformal dimension $\Delta=p$, while shadow $p$-forms of this weight are only pure gauge in the critical spacetime dimension value $D=2p+2$. We then provide a systematic technique to obtain the large-$r$ asymptotic limit near $\mathscr I$ based on the method of regions, which naturally takes into account the presence of both ordinary and contact terms on the celestial sphere. In $D=4$, this allows us to reformulate in a conformal primary language the links between scalars and dual two-forms.

  6 citations

• Transitions in Xenes between excitonic, topological and trivial insulator phases: Influence of screening, band dispersion and external electric field

  Olivia Pulci, Paola Gori, Davide Grassano, Marco D'Alessandro, Friedhelm Bechstedt

  SciPost Phys. 15, 025 (2023) · published 24 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Using a variational approach, the binding energies $E_b$ of the lowest bound excitons in Xenes under varying electric field are investigated. The internal exciton motion is described both by Dirac electron dispersion and in effective-mass approximation, while the screened electron-hole attraction is modeled by a Rytova-Keldysh potential with a 2D electronic polarizability $\alpha_{2D}$. The most important parameters as spin-orbit-induced gap $E_g$, Fermi velocity $v_F$ and $\alpha_{2D}$ are taken from ab initio density functional theory calculations. In addition, $\alpha_{2D}$ is approximated in two different ways. The relation of $E_b$ and $E_g$ is ruled by the screening. The existence of an excitonic insulator phase with $E_b>E_g$ sensitively depends on the chosen $\alpha_{2D}$. The values of $E_g$ and $\alpha_{2D}$ are strongly modified by a vertical external electric bias $U$, which defines a transition from the topological into a trivial insulator at $U=E_g/2$, with the exception of plumbene. Within the Dirac approximation, but also within the effective mass description of the kinetic energy, the treatment of screening dominates the appearance or non-appearance of an excitonic insulator phase. Gating does not change the results: the prediction done at zero electric field is confirmed when a vertical electric field is applied. Finally, Many-Body perturbation theory approaches based on the Green's function method, applied to stanene, confirm the absence of an excitonic insulator phase, thus validating our results obtained by ab initio modeling of $\alpha_{2D}$.

  2 citations

• Classicality with(out) decoherence: Concepts, relation to Markovianity, and a random matrix theory approach

  Philipp Strasberg

  SciPost Phys. 15, 024 (2023) · published 24 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Answers to the question how a classical world emerges from underlying quantum physics are revisited, connected and extended as follows. First, three distinct concepts are compared: decoherence in open quantum systems, consistent/decoherent histories and Kolmogorov consistency. Second, the crucial role of quantum Markovianity (defined rigorously) to connect these concepts is established. Third, using a random matrix theory model, quantum effects are shown to be exponentially suppressed in the measurement statistics of slow and coarse observables despite the presence of large amount of coherences. This is also numerically exemplified, and it highlights the potential and importance of non-integrability and chaos for the emergence of classicality.

  8 citations