Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Bootstrapping traceless symmetric $O(N)$ scalars

  Marten Reehorst, Maria Refinetti, Alessandro Vichi

  SciPost Phys. 14, 068 (2023) · published 12 April 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We use numerical bootstrap techniques to study correlation functions of traceless symmetric tensors of $O(N)$ with two indices $t_{ij}$. We obtain upper bounds on operator dimensions for all the relevant representations and several values of $N$. We discover several families of kinks, which do not correspond to any known model and we discuss possible candidates. We then specialize to the case $N=4$, which has been conjectured to describe a phase transition in the antiferromagnetic real projective model $ARP^{3}$. Lattice simulations provide strong evidence for the existence of a second order phase transition, while an effective field theory approach does not predict any fixed point. We identify a set of assumptions that constrain operator dimensions to a closed region overlapping with the lattice prediction. The region is still present after pushing the numerics in the single correlator case or when considering a mixed system involving $t$ and the lowest dimension scalar singlet.

  2 citations

• Topological insulators and geometry of vector bundles

  Alexander S. Sergeev

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

• Codimension-2 defects and higher symmetries in (3+1)D topological phases

  Maissam Barkeshli, Yu-An Chen, Sheng-Jie Huang, Ryohei Kobayashi, Nathanan Tantivasadakarn, Guanyu Zhu

  SciPost Phys. 14, 065 (2023) · published 11 April 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  (3+1)D topological phases of matter can host a broad class of non-trivial topological defects of codimension-1, 2, and 3, of which the well-known point charges and flux loops are special cases. The complete algebraic structure of these defects defines a higher category, and can be viewed as an emergent higher symmetry. This plays a crucial role both in the classification of phases of matter and the possible fault-tolerant logical operations in topological quantum error-correcting codes. In this paper, we study several examples of such higher codimension defects from distinct perspectives. We mainly study a class of invertible codimension-2 topological defects, which we refer to as twist strings. We provide a number of general constructions for twist strings, in terms of gauging lower dimensional invertible phases, layer constructions, and condensation defects. We study some special examples in the context of $\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge theory with fermionic charges, in $\mathbb{Z}_2 \times \mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge theory with bosonic charges, and also in non-Abelian discrete gauge theories based on dihedral ($D_n$) and alternating ($A_6$) groups. The intersection between twist strings and Abelian flux loops sources Abelian point charges, which defines an $H^4$ cohomology class that characterizes part of an underlying 3-group symmetry of the topological order. The equations involving background gauge fields for the 3-group symmetry have been explicitly written down for various cases. We also study examples of twist strings interacting with non-Abelian flux loops (defining part of a non-invertible higher symmetry), examples of non-invertible codimension-2 defects, and examples of the interplay of codimension-2 defects with codimension-1 defects. We also find an example of geometric, not fully topological, twist strings in (3+1)D $A_6$ gauge theory.

  4 citations

• Photoemission "experiments" on holographic lattices

  Filip Herček, Vladan Gecin, Mihailo Čubrović

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 027 (2023) · published 6 April 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct a 2D holographic ionic lattice with hyperscaling-violating infrared geometry and study single-electron spectral functions ("ARPES photoemission curves") on this background. The spectra typically show a three-peak structure, where the central peak undergoes a crossover from a sharp but not Fermi-liquid-like quasiparticle to a wide incoherent maximum, and the broad side peaks resemble the Hubbard bands. These findings are partially explained by a perturbative near-horizon analysis of the bulk Dirac equation. Comparing the holographic Green functions in imaginary frequency with the Green functions of the Hubbard model obtained from quantum Monte Carlo, we find that the holographic model provides a very good fit to the Hubbard Green function. However, the information loss when transposing the holographic Green functions to imaginary frequencies implies that a deeper connection to Hubbard-like models remains questionable.

  2 citations

• 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 | Toggle abstract · 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.

• 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 | Toggle abstract · 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.

• Electric polarization and magnetization in metals

  Perry T. Mahon, John E. Sipe

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

• Coherent forward scattering as a robust probe of multifractality in critical disordered media

  Maxime Martinez, Gabriel Lemarié, Bertrand Georgeot, Christian Miniatura, Olivier Giraud

  SciPost Phys. 14, 057 (2023) · published 31 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study coherent forward scattering (CFS) in critical disordered systems, whose eigenstates are multifractals. We give general and simple arguments that make it possible to fully characterize the dynamics of the shape and height of the CFS peak. We show that the dynamics is governed by multifractal dimensions $D_1$ and $D_2$, which suggests that CFS could be used as an experimental probe for quantum multifractality. Our predictions are universal and numerically verified in three paradigmatic models of quantum multifractality: Power-law Random Banded Matrices (PRBM), the Ruijsenaars-Schneider ensembles (RS), and the three-dimensional kicked-rotor (3DKR). In the strong multifractal regime, we show analytically that these universal predictions exactly coincide with results from standard perturbation theory applied to the PRBM and RS models.

  2 citations

• Vortex states in a PbTiO$_3$ ferroelectric cylinder

  Svitlana Kondovych, Maksim Pavlenko, Yurii Tikhonov, Anna Razumnaya, Igor Lukyanchuk

  SciPost Phys. 14, 056 (2023) · published 30 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The past decade's discovery of topological excitations in nanoscale ferroelectrics has turned the prevailing view that the polar ground state in these materials is uniform. However, the systematic understanding of the topological polar structures in ferroelectrics is still on track. Here we study stable vortex-like textures of polarization in the nanocylinders of ferroelectric PbTiO$_3$, arising due to the competition of the elastic and electrostatic interactions. Using the phase-field numerical modeling and analytical calculations, we show that the orientation of the vortex core with respect to the cylinder axis is tuned by the geometrical parameters and temperature of the system.

  3 citations

• Structural classification of boron nitride twisted bilayers and ab initio investigation of their stacking-dependent electronic structure

  Sylvain Latil, Hakim Amara, Lorenzo Sponza

  SciPost Phys. 14, 053 (2023) · published 29 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Since the discovery of superconductive twisted bilayer graphene which initiated the field of twistronics, moiré systems have not ceased to exhibit fascinating properties. We demonstrate that in boron nitride twisted bilayers, for a given moiré periodicity, there are five different stackings which preserve the monolayer hexagonal symmetry (i.e. the invariance upon rotations of 120°) and not only two as always discussed in literature. We introduce some definitions and a nomenclature that identify unambiguously the twist angle and the stacking sequence of any hexagonal bilayer with order-3 rotation symmetry. Moreover, we employ density functional theory to study the evolution of the band structure as a function of the twist angle for each of the five stacking sequences of boron nitride bilayers. We show that the gap is indirect at any angle and in any stacking, and identify features that are conserved within the same stacking sequence irrespective of the angle of twist.