Publications

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Andreev bound states at boundaries of polarized 2D Fermi superfluids with s-wave pairing and spin-orbit coupling

Kadin Thompson, Joachim Brand, Ulrich Zuelicke

SciPost Phys. 14, 115 (2023) · published 16 May 2023 | · pdf

A topological superfluid phase characterized by an emergent chiral-p-wave pair potential is expected to form in a two-dimensional Fermi superfluid subject to s-wave pairing, spin-orbit coupling and a large-enough Zeeman splitting. Andreev bound states appear at phase boundaries, including Majorana zero modes whose existence is assured by the bulk-boundary correspondence principle. Here we study the physical properties of these subgap-energy bound states at step-like interfaces using the spin-resolved Bogoliubov-de$\,$Gennes mean-field formalism and assuming small spin-orbit coupling. Extending a recently developed spin-projection technique based on Feshbach partitioning [SciPost Phys. 5, 016 (2018)] combined with the Andreev approximation allows us to obtain remarkably simple analytical expressions for the bound-state energies as well as the majority and minority spin components of their wave functions. Besides the vacuum boundary, where a majority-spin Majorana excitation is encountered, we also consider the boundary between the topological and a nontopological superfluid phase that can appear in a coexistence scenario due to the first-order topological phase transition predicted for this system. At this superfluid-superfluid interface, we find a localized chiral Majorana mode hosted by the minority-spin sector. Our theory further predicts majority-spin subgap-energy bound states similar to those found at a Josephson junction between same-chirality p-wave superfluids. Their presence affects the Majorana mode due to a coupling of minority and majority spin sectors only in the small energy range where their spectra overlap. Our results may inform experimental efforts aimed at realizing and characterizing unconventional Majorana quasiparticles.
Finite-time bounds on the probabilistic violation of the second law of thermodynamics

Harry J. D. Miller, Martí Perarnau-Llobet

SciPost Phys. 14, 072 (2023) · published 17 April 2023 | · pdf

Jarzynski's equality sets a strong bound on the probability of violating the second law of thermodynamics by extracting work beyond the free energy difference. We derive finite-time refinements to this bound for driven systems in contact with a thermal Markovian environment, which can be expressed in terms of the geometric notion of thermodynamic length. We show that finite-time protocols converge to Jarzynski's bound at a rate slower than $1/\sqrt{\tau}$, where $\tau$ is the total time of the work-extraction protocol. Our result highlights a new application of minimal dissipation processes and demonstrates a connection between thermodynamic geometry and the higher order statistical properties of work.
Topological insulators and geometry of vector bundles

Alexander S. Sergeev

SciPost Phys. Lect. Notes 67 (2023) · published 12 April 2023 | · pdf

For a long time, band theory of solids has focused on the energy spectrum, or Hamiltonian eigenvalues. Recently, it was realized that the collection of eigenvectors also contains important physical information. The local geometry of eigenspaces determines the electric polarization, while their global twisting gives rise to the metallic surface states in topological insulators. These phenomena are central topics of the present notes. The shape of eigenspaces is also responsible for many intriguing physical analogies, which have their roots in the theory of vector bundles. We give an informal introduction to the geometry and topology of vector bundles and describe various physical models from this mathematical perspective.
The resistance of quantum entanglement to temperature in the Kugel-Khomskii model

Valerii E. Valiulin, Andrey V. Mikheyenkov, Nikolay M. Chtchelkatchev, Kliment I. Kugel

SciPost Phys. Core 6, 025 (2023) · published 4 April 2023 | · pdf

The Kugel-Khomskii model with entangled spin and orbital degrees of freedom is a good testing ground for many important features in quantum information processing, such as robust gaps in the entanglement spectra. Here, we demonstrate that the entanglement can be also robust under effect of temperature within a wide range of parameters. It is shown, in particular, that the temperature dependence of entanglement often exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior. Namely, there turn out to be ranges of the model parameters, where entanglement is absent at zero temperature, but then, with an increase in temperature, it appears, passes through a maximum, and again vanishes.
Dynamical spin-orbit-based spin transistor

Fahriye N. Gürsoy, P. Reck, C. Gorini, K. Richter, I. Adagideli

SciPost Phys. 14, 060 (2023) · published 4 April 2023 | · pdf

Spin-orbit interaction (SOI) has been a key tool to steer and manipulate spin-dependent transport properties in two-dimensional electron gases. Here we demonstrate how spin currents can be created and efficiently read out in nano- or mesoscale conductors with time-dependent and spatially inhomogeneous Rashba SOI. Invoking an underlying non-Abelian SU(2) gauge structure we show how time-periodic spin-orbit fields give rise to spin electric forces and enable the generation of pure spin currents of the order of several hundred nano-Amperes. In a complementary way, by combining gauge transformations with "hidden" Onsager relations, we exploit spatially inhomogeneous Rashba SOI to convert spin currents (back) into charge currents. In combining both concepts, we devise a spin transistor that integrates efficient spin current generation, by employing dynamical SOI, with its experimentally feasible detection via conversion into charge signals. We derive general expressions for the respective spin- and charge conductance, covering large parameter regimes of SOI strength and driving frequencies, far beyond usual adiabatic approaches such as the frozen scattering matrix approximation. We check our analytical expressions and approximations with full numerical spin-dependent transport simulations and demonstrate that the predictions hold true in a wide range from low to high driving frequencies.
Electric polarization and magnetization in metals

Perry T. Mahon, John E. Sipe

SciPost Phys. 14, 058 (2023) · published 3 April 2023 | · pdf

A feature of the "modern theory" is that electric polarization is not well-defined in a metallic ground state. A different approach invokes the general existence of a complete set of exponentially localized Wannier functions, with respect to which general definitions of microscopic electronic polarization and magnetization fields, and free charge and current densities are always admitted. These definitions assume no particular initial electronic state of the crystal, and the set of microscopic fields satisfy the usual relations of classical electrodynamics. Notably, when applied to a trivial insulator initially occupying its $T=0$ ground state, the expressions for the unperturbed polarization and orbital magnetization, and for the orbital magnetoelectric polarizability tensor obtained from these different approaches can agree. However, the "modern theory of magnetization" has been extended via thermodynamic arguments to include metals and Chern insulators. We here compare with that generalization and find disagreement; the manner in which the expressions differ elucidates the distinct philosophies of these approaches. Our approach leads to the usual electrical conductivity tensor in the long-wavelength limit; in the absence of any scattering mechanisms, the dc divergence of that tensor is due to the free current density and the finite-frequency generalization of the anomalous Hall contribution arises from a combination of bound and free current densities. As well, in the limit that the electronic ground state is that of a trivial insulator, our expressions reduce to those expected for the unperturbed polarization and magnetization, and the electric susceptibility.
Systematic analysis of crystalline phases in bosonic lattice models with algebraically decaying density-density interactions

Jan A. Koziol, Antonia Duft, Giovanna Morigi, Kai P. Schmidt

SciPost Phys. 14, 136 (2023) · published 30 May 2023 | · pdf

We propose a general approach to analyse diagonal ordering patterns in bosonic lattice models with algebraically decaying density-density interactions on arbitrary lattices. The key idea is a systematic search for the energetically best order on all unit cells of the lattice up to a given extent. Using resummed couplings we evaluate the energy of the ordering patterns in the thermodynamic limit using finite unit cells. We apply the proposed approach to the atomic limit of the extended Bose-Hubbard model on the triangular lattice at fillings $f=1/2$ and $f=1$. We investigate the ground-state properties of the antiferromagnetic long-range Ising model on the triangular lattice and determine a six-fold degenerate plain-stripe phase to be the ground state for finite decay exponents. We also probe the classical limit of the Fendley-Sengupta-Sachdev model describing Rydberg atom arrays. We focus on arrangements where the atoms are placed on the sites or links of the Kagome lattice. Our method provides a general framework to treat cristalline structures resulting from long-range interactions.
Quantum spin nematic liquid in the low-dimensional anisotropic magnets -S=1/2 delta spin chain with the anisotropic ferromagnetic interaction in magnetic field-

Toru Sakai, Rito Furuchi, Hiroki Nakano, Kiyomi Okamoto

SciPost Phys. Proc. 11, 001 (2023) · published 5 June 2023 | · pdf

The magnetization process of the $S=1/2$ delta chain with the anisotropic ferromagnetic interaction is investigated using the numerical diagonalization of finite-size clusters. It is found that the spin nematic liquid phase appears in higher magnetization region, as well as the SDW liquid one in lower region.
A testable theory for high-Tc superconductivity in cuprates

Eduardo C. Marino

SciPost Phys. Proc. 11, 004 (2023) · published 5 June 2023 | · pdf

A number of theories for the superconductivity in cuprates, have been proposed in the more than 30 years that have elapsed since its discovery. A common feature of these theories is the small number, or even the absence, of quantitative predictions that could be compared to a vast number of experimental data, which are, conversely, available. Such theories are, consequently non-testable. We describe the foundations and a number of applications of a theory describing High-Tc Superconductivity in cuprates, which we proposed recently, that besides being testable, has proven to meet successfully the tests to which it has been submitted so far.
Topological defects in Floquet circuits

Mao Tian Tan, Yifan Wang, Aditi Mitra

SciPost Phys. 16, 075 (2024) · published 13 March 2024 | · pdf

We introduce a Floquet circuit describing the driven Ising chain with topological defects. The corresponding gates include a defect that flips spins as well as the duality defect that explicitly implements the Kramers-Wannier duality transformation. The Floquet unitary evolution operator commutes with such defects, but the duality defect is not unitary, as it projects out half the states. We give two applications of these defects. One is to analyze the return amplitudes in the presence of "space-like" defects stretching around the system. We verify explicitly that the return amplitudes are in agreement with the fusion rules of the defects. The second application is to study unitary evolution in the presence of "time-like" defects that implement anti-periodic and duality-twisted boundary conditions. We show that a single unpaired localized Majorana zero mode appears in the latter case. We explicitly construct this operator, which acts as a symmetry of this Floquet circuit. We also present analytic expressions for the entanglement entropy after a single time step for a system of a few sites, for all of the above defect configurations.

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