Publications

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• Emptiness instanton in quantum polytropic gas

  Alexander G. Abanov, Dimitri M. Gangardt

  SciPost Phys. 18, 122 (2025) · published 9 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The emptiness formation problem is addressed for a one-dimensional quantum polytropic gas characterized by an arbitrary polytropic index $\gamma$, which defines the equation of state $P \sim \rho^\gamma$, where $P$ is the pressure and $\rho$ is the density. The problem involves determining the probability of the spontaneous formation of an empty interval in the ground state of the gas. In the limit of a macroscopically large interval, this probability is dominated by an instanton configuration. By solving the hydrodynamic equations in imaginary time, we derive the analytic form of the emptiness instanton. This solution is expressed as an integral representation analogous to those used for correlation functions in Conformal Field Theory. Prominent features of the spatiotemporal profile of the instanton are obtained directly from this representation.

• Lattice T-duality from non-invertible symmetries in quantum spin chains

  Salvatore D. Pace, Arkya Chatterjee, Shu-Heng Shao

  SciPost Phys. 18, 121 (2025) · published 8 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Dualities of quantum field theories are challenging to realize in lattice models of qubits. In this work, we explore one of the simplest dualities, T-duality of the compact boson CFT, and its realization in quantum spin chains. In the special case of the XX model, we uncover an exact lattice T-duality, which is associated with a non-invertible symmetry that exchanges two lattice U(1) symmetries. The latter symmetries flow to the momentum and winding U(1) symmetries with a mixed anomaly in the CFT. However, the charge operators of the two U(1) symmetries do not commute on the lattice and instead generate the Onsager algebra. We discuss how some of the anomalies in the CFT are nonetheless still exactly realized on the lattice and how the lattice U(1) symmetries enforce gaplessness. We further explore lattice deformations preserving both U(1) symmetries and find a rich gapless phase diagram with special $\mathrm{Spin}(2k)_1$ WZW model points and whose phase transitions all have dynamical exponent $z>1$.

  10 citations

• $2+1$ dimensional Floquet systems and lattice fermions: Exact bulk spectral equivalence

  Thomas Iadecola, Srimoyee Sen, Lars Sivertsen

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 035 (2025) · published 3 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A connection has recently been proposed between periodically driven systems known as Floquet insulators in continuous time and static fermion theories in discrete time. This connection has been established in a $(1+1)$-dimensional free theory, where an explicit mapping between the spectra of a Floquet insulator and a discrete-time Dirac fermion theory has been formulated. Here we investigate the potential of static discrete-time theories to capture Floquet physics in higher dimensions, where so-called anomalous Floquet topological insulators can emerge that feature chiral edge states despite having bulk bands with zero Chern number. Starting from a particular model of an anomalous Floquet system, we provide an example of a static discrete-time theory whose bulk spectrum is an exact analytic match for the Floquet spectrum. The spectra with open boundary conditions in a particular strip geometry also match up to finite-size corrections. However, the models differ in several important respects. The discrete-time theory is spatially anisotropic, so that the spectra do not agree for all lattice terminations, e.g. other strip geometries or on half spaces. This difference can be attributed to the fact that the static discrete-time model is quasi-one-dimensional in nature and therefore has a different bulk-boundary correspondence than the Floquet model.

  1 citation

• Photon counting statistics in Gaussian bosonic networks

  Kalle Sulo Ukko Kansanen, Pedro Portugal, Christian Flindt, Peter Samuelsson

  SciPost Phys. 18, 116 (2025) · published 1 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The statistics of transmitted photons in microwave cavities play a foundational role in microwave quantum optics and its technological applications. By utilizing quantum mechanical phase-space methods, we here develop a general theory of the photon counting statistics in Gaussian bosonic networks consisting of driven cavities with beamsplitter interactions and two-mode-squeezing. The dynamics of the network can be captured by a Lyapunov equation for the covariance matrix of the cavity fields, which generalizes to a Riccati equation, when counting fields are included. By solving the Riccati equation, we obtain the statistics of emitted and absorbed photons as well as the time-dependent correlations encoded in waiting time distributions and second-order coherence functions. To illustrate our theoretical framework, we first apply it to a simple linear network consisting of two coupled cavities, for which we evaluate the photon cross-correlations and discuss connections between the photon emission statistics and the entanglement between the cavities. We then consider a bosonic circulator consisting of three coupled cavities, for which we investigate how a synthetic flux may affect the direction of the photon flow, similarly to recent experiments. Our general framework paves the way for systematic investigations of the photon counting statistics in Gaussian bosonic networks.

• SymTFT for (3+1)d gapless SPTs and obstructions to confinement

  Andrea Antinucci, Christian Copetti, Sakura Schäfer-Nameki

  SciPost Phys. 18, 114 (2025) · published 31 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study gapless phases in (3+1)d in the presence of 1-form and non-invertible duality symmetries. Using the Symmetry Topological Field Theory (SymTFT) approach, we classify the gapless symmetry-protected (gSPT) phases in these setups, with particular focus on intrinsically gSPTs (igSPTs). These are symmetry protected critical points which cannot be deformed to a trivially gapped phase without spontaneously breaking the symmetry. Although these are by now well-known in (1+1)d, we demonstrate their existence in (3+1)d gauge theories. Here, they have a clear physical interpretation in terms of an obstruction to confinement, even though the full 1-form symmetry does not suffer from 't Hooft anomalies. These igSPT phases provide a new way to realize 1-form symmetries in CFTs, that has no analog for gapped phases. The SymTFT approach allows for a direct generalization from invertible symmetries to non-invertible duality symmetries, for which we study gSPT and igSPT phases as well. We accompany these theoretical results with concrete physical examples realizing such phases and explain how obstruction to confinement is detected at the level of symmetric deformations.

  10 citations

• Engineering unique localization transition with coupled Hatano-Nelson chains

  Ritaban Samanta, Aditi Chakrabarty, Sanjoy Datta

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 033 (2025) · published 27 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The paradigmatic Hatano-Nelson (HN) Hamiltonian induces a delocalization-localization (DL) transition in a one-dimensional (1D) lattice with random disorder, in striking contrast to its Hermitian counterpart. The DL transition also persists in the presence of a quasiperiodic potential separating completely delocalized and localized eigenstates. In this study, we reveal that coupling two 1D quasiperiodic Hatano-Nelson (QHN) lattices significantly alters the nature of the DL transition and identify two critical points, $V_{c1} < V_{c2}$, when the nearest neighbors of the two 1D QHN lattices are cross-coupled with strong hopping amplitudes under periodic boundary conditions (PBC). Complete delocalization occurs below $V_{c1}$ and the states are completely localized above $V_{c2}$, while two mobility edges symmetrically emerge about Re[E] = 0 between $V_{c1}$ and $V_{c2}$. Notably, under specific asymmetric cross-hopping amplitudes, $V_{c1}$ approaches zero, resulting in localized states even for an infinitesimally weak potential. Remarkably, we also find that the mobility edges precisely divide the delocalized and localized states in equal proportions. We demonstrate a possible implementation of these findings in a coupled waveguided array which can be exploited to control and manipulate the light localization depending upon the hopping amplitude in the two QHN chains.

  1 citation

• Many-body quantum dynamics with MCTDH-X

  Paolo Molignini, Sunayana Dutta, Elke Fasshauer

  SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 94 (2025) · published 26 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The lecture notes on "Many-body Quantum Dynamics with MCTDH-X", adapted from the 2023 Heidelberg MCTDH Summer School, provide an in-depth exploration of the Multiconfigurational Time-Dependent Hartree approach for indistinguishable particles. They serve as a comprehensive guide for understanding and utilizing the MCTDH-X software for both bosonic and fermionic systems. The tutorial begins with an introduction to the MCTDH-X software, highlighting its capability to handle various quantum systems, including those with internal degrees of freedom and long-range interactions. The theoretical foundation is then laid out on how to solve the time-dependent and time-independent Schrödinger equations for many-body systems. The workflow section provides practical instructions on setting up and executing simulations using MCTDH-X. Detailed benchmarks against exact solutions are presented, showcasing the accuracy and reliability of the software in ground-state and dynamic simulations. The notes then delve into the dynamics of quantum systems, covering relaxation processes, time evolution, and the analysis of propagation for both bosonic and fermionic particles. The discussion includes the interpretation of various physical quantities such as energy, density distributions, and orbital occupations. Advanced features of MCTDH-X are also explored in the last section, including the calculation of correlation functions and the creation of visualizations through video tutorials. The notes conclude with a Linux/UNIX command cheat sheet, facilitating ease of use for users operating the software on different systems. Overall, these lecture notes provide a valuable resource for researchers and students in the field of quantum dynamics, offering both theoretical insights and practical guidance on the use of MCTDH-X for studying complex many-body systems.

  5 citations

• Unveiling UV/IR mixing via symmetry defects: A view from topological entanglement entropy

  Jintae Kim, Yun-Tak Oh, Daniel Bulmash, Jung Hoon Han

  SciPost Phys. 18, 110 (2025) · published 25 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Some topological lattice models in two spatial dimensions exhibit intricate lattice size dependence in their ground state degeneracy (GSD). This and other features such as the position-dependent anyonic excitations are manifestations of UV/IR mixing. In the first part of this paper, we perform an exact calculation of the topological entanglement entropy (TEE) for a specific model, the rank-2 toric code. This analysis includes both contractible and non-contractible boundaries, with the minimum entropy states identified specifically for non-contractible boundaries. Our results show that TEE for a contractible boundary remains independent of lattice size, whereas TEE for non-contractible boundaries, similarly to the GSD, shows intricate lattice-size dependence. In the latter part of the paper we focus on the fact that the rank-2 toric code is an example of a translation symmetry-enriched topological phase, and show that viewing distinct lattice size as a consequence of different translation symmetry defects can explain both our TEE results and the GSD of the rank-2 toric code. Our work establishes the translation symmetry defect framework as a robust description of the UV/IR mixing in topological lattice models.

  2 citations

• The crystallographic spin point groups and their representations

  Hana Schiff, Alberto Corticelli, Afonso Guerreiro, Judit Romhányi, Paul McClarty

  SciPost Phys. 18, 109 (2025) · published 24 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The spin point groups are finite groups whose elements act on both real space and spin space. Among these groups are the magnetic point groups in the case where the real and spin space operations are locked to one another. The magnetic point groups are central to magnetic crystallography for strong spin-orbit coupled systems and the spin point groups generalize these to the intermediate and weak spin-orbit coupled cases. The spin point groups were introduced in the 1960's in the context of condensed matter physics and enumerated shortly thereafter. In this paper, we complete the theory ofcrystallographic spin point groups by presenting an account of these groups and their representation theory. Our main findings are that the so-called nontrivial spin point groups (numbering $598$ groups) have co-irreps corresponding exactly to the (co-)-irreps of regular or black and white groups and we tabulate this correspondence for each nontrivial group. However a total spin group, comprising the product of a nontrivial group and a spin-only group, has new co-irreps in cases where there is continuous rotational freedom. We provide explicit co-irrep tables for all these instances. We also discuss new forms of spin-only group extending the Litvin-Opechowski classes. To exhibit the usefulness of these groups to physically relevant problems we discuss a number of examples from electronic band structures of altermagnets to magnons.

  12 citations

• Quantum many-body simulations with PauliStrings.jl

  Nicolas Loizeau, J. Clayton Peacock, Dries Sels

  SciPost Phys. Codebases 54 (2025) · published 24 March 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We present the Julia package PauliStrings.jl for quantum many-body simulations, which performs fast operations on the Pauli group by encoding Pauli strings in binary. All of the Pauli string algebra is encoded into low-level logic operations on integers, and is made efficient by various truncation methods which allow for systematic extrapolation of the results. We illustrate the effectiveness of our package by (i) performing Heisenberg time evolution through direct numerical integration and (ii) by constructing a Liouvillian Krylov space. We benchmark the results against tensor network methods, and we find our package performs favorably. In addition, we show that this representation allows for easy encoding of any geometry. We present results for chaotic and integrable spin systems in 1D as well as some examples in 2D. Currently, the main limitations are the inefficiency of representing non-trivial pure states (or other low-rank operators), as well as the need to introduce dissipation to probe long-time dynamics.

  6 citations