Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Higher-matter and Landau-Ginzburg theory of higher-group symmetries

  Ruizhi Liu, Ran Luo, Yi-Nan Wang

  SciPost Phys. 18, 052 (2025) · published 13 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Higher-matter is defined by higher-representation of a symmetry algebra, such as the $p$-form symmetries, higher-group symmetries or higher-categorical symmetries. In this paper, we focus on the cases of higher-group symmetries, which are formulated in terms of the strictification of weak higher-groups. We systematically investigate higher-matter charged under 2-group symmetries, defined by automorphism 2-representations. Furthermore, we construct a Lagrangian formulation of such higher-matter fields coupled to 2-group gauge fields in the path space of the spacetime manifold. We interpret such model as the Landau-Ginzburg theory for 2-group symmetries, and discuss the spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) of 2-group symmetries under this framework. Examples of discrete and continuous 2-groups are discussed. Interestingly, we find that a non-split 2-group symmetry can admit an SSB to a split 2-group symmetry, where the Postnikov class is trivialized. We also briefly discuss the strictification of weak 3-groups, weak 3-group gauge fields and 3-representations in special cases.

  1 citation

• Critical behavior of a phase transition in the dynamics of interacting populations

  Thibaut Arnoulx de Pirey, Guy Bunin

  SciPost Phys. 18, 051 (2025) · published 13 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Many-variable differential equations with random coefficients provide powerful models for the dynamics of many interacting species in ecology. These models are known to exhibit a dynamical phase transition from a phase where population sizes reach a fixed point, to a phase where they fluctuate indefinitely. Here we provide a theory for the critical behavior close to the phase transition. We show that timescales diverge at the transition and that temporal fluctuations grow continuously upon crossing it. We further show the existence of three different universality classes, with different sets of critical exponents, highlighting the importance of the migration rate coupling the system to its surroundings.

• Possible causes of false general relativity violations in gravitational wave observations

  Anuradha Gupta, K. G. Arun, Enrico Barausse, Laura Bernard, Emanuele Berti, Sajad A. Bhat, Alessandra Buonanno, Vitor Cardoso, Shun Yin Cheung, Teagan A. Clarke, Sayantani Datta, Arnab Dhani, Jose María Ezquiaga, Ish Gupta, Nir Guttman, Tanja Hinderer, Qian Hu, Justin Janquart, Nathan K. Johnson-McDaniel, Rahul Kashyap, N. V. Krishnendu, Paul D. Lasky, Andrew Lundgren, Elisa Maggio, Parthapratim Mahapatra, Andrea Maselli, Purnima Narayan, Alex B. Nielsen, Laura K. Nuttall, Paolo Pani, Lachlan Passenger, Ethan Payne, Lorenzo Pompili, Luca Reali, Pankaj Saini, Anuradha Samajdar, Shubhanshu Tiwari, Hui Tong, Chris Van Den Broeck, Kent Yagi, Huan Yang, Nicolás Yunes, B. S. Sathyaprakash

  SciPost Phys. Comm. Rep. 5 (2025) · published 13 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  General relativity (GR) has proven to be a highly successful theory of gravity since its inception. The theory has thrivingly passed numerous experimental tests, predominantly in weak gravity, low relative speeds, and linear regimes, but also in the strong-field and very low-speed regimes with binary pulsars. Observable gravitational waves (GWs) originate from regions of spacetime where gravity is extremely strong, making them a unique tool for testing GR, in previously inaccessible regions of large curvature, relativistic speeds, and strong gravity. Since their first detection, GWs have been extensively used to test GR, but no deviations have been found so far. Given GR's tremendous success in explaining current astronomical observations and laboratory experiments, accepting any deviation from it requires a very high level of statistical confidence and consistency of the deviation across GW sources. In this paper, we compile a comprehensive list of potential causes that can lead to a false identification of a GR violation in standard tests of GR on data from current and future ground-based GW detectors. These causes include detector noise, signal overlaps, gaps in the data, detector calibration, source model inaccuracy, missing physics in the source and in the underlying environment model, source misidentification, and mismodeling of the astrophysical population. We also provide a rough estimate of when each of these causes will become important for tests of GR for different detector sensitivities. We argue that each of these causes should be thoroughly investigated, quantified, and ruled out before claiming a GR violation in GW observations.

  4 citations

• Pymablock: An algorithm and a package for quasi-degenerate perturbation theory

  Isidora Araya Day, Sebastian Miles, Hugo K. Kerstens, Daniel Varjas, Anton R. Akhmerov

  SciPost Phys. Codebases 50 (2025) · published 12 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A common technique in the study of complex quantum-mechanical systems is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom in the Hamiltonian by using quasi-degenerate perturbation theory. While the Schrieffer-Wolff transformation achieves this and constructs an effective Hamiltonian, its scaling is suboptimal, it is limited to two subspaces, and implementing it efficiently is both challenging and error-prone. We introduce an algorithm for constructing an equivalent effective Hamiltonian as well as a Python package, Pymablock, that implements it. Our algorithm combines an optimal asymptotic scaling and the ability to handle any number of subspaces with a range of other improvements. The package supports numerical and analytical calculations of any order and it is designed to be interoperable with any other packages for specifying the Hamiltonian. We demonstrate how the package handles constructing a k.p model, analyses a superconducting qubit, and computes the low-energy spectrum of a large tight-binding model. We also compare its performance with reference calculations and demonstrate its efficiency.

  4 citations

• Wilson loops and spherical branes

  Davide Astesiano, Pieter Bomans, Fridrik Freyr Gautason, Valentina Giangreco M. Puletti, Alexia Nix

  SciPost Phys. 18, 050 (2025) · published 12 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study $\frac{1}{2}$-BPS Wilson loop operators in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on $d$-dimensional spheres. Their vacuum expectation values can be computed at large $N$ through supersymmetric localisation. The holographic duals are given by back-reacted spherical D-branes. For $d≠ 4$, the resulting theories are non-conformal and correspondingly, the dual geometries do not possess an asymptotic AdS region. The main aim of this work is to compute the holographic Wilson loops by evaluating the partition function of a probe fundamental string and M2-brane in the dual geometry, focusing on the next-to-leading order. Along the way, we highlight a variety of issues related to the presence of a non-constant dilaton. In particular, the structure of the divergences of the one-loop partition functions takes a non-universal form in contrast to examples available in the literature. We devise a general framework to treat the divergences, successfully match the sub-leading scaling with $\lambda$ and $N$, and provide a first step towards obtaining the numerical prefactor.

• Codebase release 2.1 for Pymablock

  Isidora Araya Day, Sebastian Miles, Hugo K. Kerstens, Daniel Varjas, Anton R. Akhmerov

  SciPost Phys. Codebases 50-r2.1 (2025) · published 12 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · src

  A common technique in the study of complex quantum-mechanical systems is to reduce the number of degrees of freedom in the Hamiltonian by using quasi-degenerate perturbation theory. While the Schrieffer-Wolff transformation achieves this and constructs an effective Hamiltonian, its scaling is suboptimal, it is limited to two subspaces, and implementing it efficiently is both challenging and error-prone. We introduce an algorithm for constructing an equivalent effective Hamiltonian as well as a Python package, Pymablock, that implements it. Our algorithm combines an optimal asymptotic scaling and the ability to handle any number of subspaces with a range of other improvements. The package supports numerical and analytical calculations of any order and it is designed to be interoperable with any other packages for specifying the Hamiltonian. We demonstrate how the package handles constructing a k.p model, analyses a superconducting qubit, and computes the low-energy spectrum of a large tight-binding model. We also compare its performance with reference calculations and demonstrate its efficiency.

  2 citations

• Asymptotic symmetries in the $TsT/T\bar{T}$ correspondence

  Zhengyuan Du, Wen-Xin Lai, Kangning Liu, Wei Song

  SciPost Phys. 18, 049 (2025) · published 11 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Starting from holography for IIB string theory on AdS$_3× \mathcal N$ with NS-NS flux, the TsT/$T\bar T$ correspondence is a conjecture that a TsT transformation on the string theory side is holographically dual to the single-trace version of the $T\bar T$ deformation on the field theory side. More precisely, the long string sector of string theory on the TsT-transformed background corresponds to the symmetric product theory whose seed theory is the $T\bar T$-deformed CFT$_2$. In this paper, we study the asymptotic symmetry of the string theory in the bulk. We find a state-dependent, non-local field redefinition under which the worldsheet equations of motion, stress tensor, as well as the symplectic form of string theory after the TsT transformation are mapped to those before the TsT transformation. The asymptotic symmetry in the auxiliary AdS basis is generated by two commuting Virasoro generators, while in the TsT transformed basis is non-linear and non-local. Our result from string theory analysis is compatible with that of the $T\bar T$ deformed CFT$_2$.

  2 citations

• Nonlocal order parameter of pair superfluids

  Nitya Cuzzuol, Luca Barbiero, Arianna Montorsi

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 020 (2025) · published 11 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Order parameters represent a fundamental resource to characterize quantum matter. We show that pair superfluids can be rigorously defined in terms of a nonlocal order parameter, named odd parity, which derivation is experimentally accessible by local density measurements. As a case of study, we first investigate a constrained Bose-Hubbard model at different densities, both in one and two spatial dimensions. Here, our analysis finds pair superfluidity for relatively strong attractive interactions. The odd parity operator acts as the unique order parameter for such phase irrespectively to the density of the system and its dimensionality in regimes of total particle number conservation. In order to enforce our finding, we confirm the generality of our approach also on a two-component Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian, which experimental realization represents a timely topic in ultracold atomic systems. Our results shed new light on the role of correlated density fluctuations in pair superfluids. In addition, they provide a powerful tool for the experimental detection of such exotic phases and the characterization of their transition to the atomic superfluid phase.

• Energy-saving fast-forward scaling

  Takuya Hatomura

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 019 (2025) · published 11 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose energy-saving fast-forward scaling. Fast-forward scaling is a method which enables us to speed up (or slow down) given dynamics in a certain measurement basis. We introduce energy costs of fast-forward scaling, and find possibility of energy-saving speedup for time-independent measurement bases. As concrete examples, we show such energy-saving fast-forward scaling in a two-level system and quantum annealing of a general Ising spin glass. We also discuss the influence of a time-dependent measurement basis, and give a remedy for unwanted energy costs. The present results pave the way for realization of energy-efficient quantum technologies.

• Phase transitions from heating to non-heating in $SU(1,1)$ quantum dynamics: Applications to Bose-Einstein condensates and periodically driven coupled oscillators

  Heng-Hsi Li, Po-Yao Chang

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 018 (2025) · published 10 February 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the entanglement properties in non-equilibrium quantum systems with the $SU(1,1)$ structure. Through Möbius transformation, we map the dynamics of these systems following a sudden quench or a periodic drive onto three distinct trajectories on the Poincaré disc, corresponding the heating, non-heating, and a phase boundary describing these non-equilibrium quantum states. We consider two experimentally feasible systems where their quantum dynamics exhibit the $SU(1,1)$ structure: the quench dynamics of the Bose-Einstein condensates and the periodically driven coupled oscillators. In both cases, the heating, non-heating phases, and their boundary manifest through distinct signatures in the phonon population where exponential, oscillatory, and linear growths classify these phases. Similarly, the entanglement entropy and negativity also exhibit distinct behaviors (linearly, oscillatory, and logarithmic growths) characterizing these phases, respectively. Notibly, for the periodically driven coupled oscillators, the non-equilibrium properties are characterized by two sets of $SU(1,1)$ generators. The corresponding two sets of the trajectories on two Poincaré discs lead to a more complex phase diagram. We identify two distinct phases within the heating region discernible solely by the growth rate of the entanglement entropy, where a discontinuity is observed when varying the parameters across the phase boundary within in heating region. This discontinuity is not observed in the phonon population.