Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Probing the particle spectrum of nature with evaporating black holes

  Michael J. Baker, Andrea Thamm

  SciPost Phys. 12, 150 (2022) · published 9 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Photons radiated from an evaporating black hole in principle provide complete information on the particle spectrum of nature up to the Planck scale. If an evaporating black hole were to be observed, it would open a unique window onto models beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. To demonstrate this, we compute the limits that could be placed on the size of a dark sector. We find that observation of an evaporating black hole at a distance of 0.01 parsecs could probe dark sector models containing one or more copies of the Standard Model particles, with any mass scale up to 100 TeV.

  19 citations

• Holographic S-fold theories at one loop

  Connor Behan

  SciPost Phys. 12, 149 (2022) · published 6 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A common feature of tree-level holography is that a correlator in one theory can serve as a generating function for correlators in another theory with less continuous symmetry. This is the case for a family of 4d CFTs with eight supercharges which have protected operators dual to gluons in the bulk. The most recent additions to this family were defined using S-folds which combine a spatial identification with an action of the S-duality group in type IIB string theory. Differences between these CFTs which have a dynamical origin first become manifest at one loop. To explore this phenomenon at the level of anomalous dimensions, we use the AdS unitarity method to bootstrap a one-loop double discontinuity. Compared to previous studies, the subsequent analysis is performed without any assumption about which special functions are allowed. Instead, the Casimir singular and Casimir regular terms are extracted iteratively in order to move from one Regge trajectory to the next. Our results show that anomalous dimensions in the presence of an S-fold are no longer rational functions of the spin.

  8 citations

• Scars from protected zero modes and beyond in $U(1)$ quantum link and quantum dimer models

  Saptarshi Biswas, Debasish Banerjee, Arnab Sen

  SciPost Phys. 12, 148 (2022) · published 6 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We demonstrate the presence of anomalous high-energy eigenstates, or many-body scars, in $U(1)$ quantum link and quantum dimer models on square and rectangular lattices. In particular, we consider the paradigmatic Rokhsar-Kivelson Hamiltonian $H=\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{kin}} + \lambda \mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{pot}}$ where $\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{pot}}$ ($\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{kin}}$) is defined as a sum of terms on elementary plaquettes that are diagonal (off-diagonal) in the computational basis. Both these interacting models possess an exponentially large number of mid-spectrum zero modes in system size at $\lambda=0$ that are protected by an index theorem preventing any mixing with the nonzero modes at this coupling. We classify different types of scars for $|\lambda| \lesssim \mathcal{O}(1)$ both at zero and finite winding number sectors complementing and significantly generalizing our previous work [Banerjee and Sen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 220601 (2021)]. The scars at finite $\lambda$ show a rich variety with those that are composed solely from the zero modes of $\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{kin}}$, those that contain an admixture of both the zero and the nonzero modes of $\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{kin}}$, and finally those composed solely from the nonzero modes of $\mathcal{O}_{\mathrm{kin}}$. We give analytic expressions for certain "lego scars" for the quantum dimer model on rectangular lattices where one of the linear dimensions can be made arbitrarily large, with the building blocks (legos) being composed of emergent singlets and other more complicated entangled structures.

  24 citations

• Global symmetry and conformal bootstrap in the two-dimensional $O(n)$ model

  Linnea Grans-Samuelsson, Rongvoram Nivesvivat, Jesper Lykke Jacobsen, Sylvain Ribault, Hubert Saleur

  SciPost Phys. 12, 147 (2022) · published 6 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We define the two-dimensional $O(n)$ conformal field theory as a theory that includes the critical dilute and dense $O(n)$ models as special cases, and depends analytically on the central charge. For generic values of $n\in\mathbb{C}$, we write a conjecture for the decomposition of the spectrum into irreducible representations of $O(n)$. We then explain how to numerically bootstrap arbitrary four-point functions of primary fields in the presence of the global $O(n)$ symmetry. We determine the needed conformal blocks, including logarithmic blocks, including in singular cases. We argue that $O(n)$ representation theory provides upper bounds on the number of solutions of crossing symmetry for any given four-point function. We study some of the simplest correlation functions in detail, and determine a few fusion rules. We count the solutions of crossing symmetry for the $30$ simplest four-point functions. The number of solutions varies from $2$ to $6$, and saturates the bound from $O(n)$ representation theory in $21$ out of $30$ cases.

  12 citations

• On the R-matrix realization of quantum loop algebras

  A. Liashyk, S. Z. Pakuliak

  SciPost Phys. 12, 146 (2022) · published 4 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider $\rm R$-matrix realization of the quantum deformations of the loop algebras $\tilde{\mathfrak{g}}$ corresponding to non-exceptional affine Lie algebras of type $\widehat{\mathfrak{g}}=A^{(1)}_{N-1}$, $B^{(1)}_n$, $C^{(1)}_n$, $D^{(1)}_n$, $A^{(2)}_{N-1}$. For each $U_q(\tilde{\mathfrak{g}})$ we investigate the commutation relations between Gauss coordinates of the fundamental $\mathbb{L}$-operators using embedding of the smaller algebra into bigger one. The new realization of these algebras in terms of the currents is given. The relations between all off-diagonal Gauss coordinates and certain projections from the ordered products of the currents are presented. These relations are important in applications to the quantum integrable models.

  1 citation

• Excitons under strain: light absorption and emission in strained hexagonal boron nitride

  Pierre Lechifflart, Fulvio Paleari, Claudio Attaccalite

  SciPost Phys. 12, 145 (2022) · published 4 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Hexagonal boron nitride is an indirect band gap material with a strong luminescence in the ultraviolet. This luminescence originates from bound excitons recombination assisted by different phonon modes. The coupling between excitons and phonons is so strong that the resulting light emission is as efficient as the one of direct band gap materials. In this manuscript we investigate how uniaxial strain modifies the electronic and optical properties of this material, and in particular how it affects the exciton-phonon coupling. Using a formulation of this coupling based on finite-difference displacements, recently developed by some of us, we investigate how phonon-assisted transitions change under strain. Our results open the way to the study of phonon-assisted luminescence in strained materials from first principles. Our findings are important both for experiments that directly probe \hbn under strain or for those in which it is used as substrate for other 2D material with a lattice mismatch.

  4 citations

• Who is a Migrant? Abandoning the Nation-state Point of View in the Study of Migration

  Stephan Scheel, Martina Tazzioli

  Mig. Pol. 1, 002 (2022) · published 4 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  This article develops an alternative definition of a migrant that embraces the perspective of mobility. Starting from the observation that the term ‘migrant’ has become a stigmatizing label that problematizes the mobility or the residency of people designated as such, we in-vestigate the implications of nation-state centered conceptions of migration which define migration as movement from nation-state A to nation-state B. By asking ‘Who is a migrant in Europe today?’ we show that nation-state centered understandings of migration rest on a deeply entrenched methodological nationalism and implicate three epistemological traps that continue to shape much of the research on migration: first, the naturalization of the in-ternational nation-state order that results, secondly, in the ontologisation of ‘migrants’ as ready-available objects of research, while facilitating, thirdly, the framing of migration as problem of government. To overcome these epistemological traps, we develop an alternative conception of migration that, inspired by the autonomy of migration approach, adopts the perspective of mobility while highlighting the constitutive role that nation-states’ bordering practices play in the enactment of some people as migrants. Importantly, this definition al-lows to turn the study of instances of migrantisation into an analytical lens for investigating transformations in contemporary border and citizenship regimes.

  24 citations

• Inhomogeneous quantum quenches in the sine-Gordon theory

  Dávid X. Horváth, Spyros Sotiriadis, Márton Kormos, Gábor Takács

  SciPost Phys. 12, 144 (2022) · published 3 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study inhomogeneous quantum quenches in the attractive regime of the sine-Gordon model. In our protocol, the system is prepared in an inhomogeneous initial state in finite volume by coupling the topological charge density operator to a Gaussian external field. After switching off the external field, the subsequent time evolution is governed by the homogeneous sine-Gordon Hamiltonian. Varying either the interaction strength of the sine-Gordon model or the amplitude of the external source field, an interesting transition is observed in the expectation value of the soliton density. This affects both the initial profile of the density and its time evolution and can be summarised as a steep transition between behaviours reminiscent of the Klein-Gordon, and the free massive Dirac fermion theory with initial external fields of high enough magnitude. The transition in the initial state is also displayed by the classical sine-Gordon theory and hence can be understood by semi-classical considerations in terms of the presence of small amplitude field configurations and the appearance of soliton excitations, which are naturally associated with bosonic and fermionic excitations on the quantum level, respectively. Features of the quantum dynamics are also consistent with this correspondence and comparing them to the classical evolution of the density profile reveals that quantum effects become markedly pronounced during the time evolution. These results suggest a crossover between the dominance of bosonic and fermionic degrees of freedom whose precise identification in terms of the fundamental particle excitations can be rather non-trivial. Nevertheless, their interplay is expected to influence the sine-Gordon dynamics in arbitrary inhomogeneous settings.

  19 citations

• An introduction to the surface code

  Andrew N. Cleland

  SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 49 (2022) · published 3 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  This chapter provides an introduction to the surface code, discussing details about how physical qubits are connected and operated to create logical qubits, how errors are handled, and what performance metrics are needed to generate logical qubits with performance that exceeds their underlying physical qubit performance.

  4 citations

• Exact dynamical correlations of nonlocal operators in quadratic open Fermion systems: a characteristic function approach

  Qing-Wei Wang

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 027 (2022) · published 3 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The dynamical correlations of nonlocal operators in general quadratic open fermion systems is still a challenging problem. Here we tackle this problem by developing a new formulation of open fermion many-body systems, namely, the characteristic function approach. Illustrating the technique, we analyze a finite Kitaev chain with boundary dissipation and consider anyon-type nonlocal excitations. We give explicit formula for the Green's functions, demonstrating an asymmetric light cone induced by the anyon statistical parameter and an increasing relaxation rate with this parameter. We also analyze some other types of nonlocal operator correlations such as the full counting statistics of the charge number and the Loschmidt echo in a quench from the vacuum state. The former shows clear signature of a nonequilibrium quantum phase transition, while the later exhibits cusps at some critical times and hence demonstrates dynamical quantum phase transitions.

  4 citations