Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• A dark state of Chern bands: Designing flat bands with higher Chern number

  Mateusz Łącki, Jakub Zakrzewski, Nathan Goldman

  SciPost Phys. 10, 112 (2021) · published 20 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We introduce a scheme by which flat bands with higher Chern number $\vert C\vert>1$ can be designed in ultracold gases through a coherent manipulation of Bloch bands. Inspired by quantum-optics methods, our approach consists in creating a "dark Bloch band" by coupling a set of source bands through resonant processes. Considering a $\Lambda$ system of three bands, the Chern number of the dark band is found to follow a simple sum rule in terms of the Chern numbers of the source bands: $C_D\!=\!C_1+C_2-C_3$. Altogether, our dark-state scheme realizes a nearly flat Bloch band with predictable and tunable Chern number $C_D$. We illustrate our method based on a $\Lambda$ system, formed of the bands of the Harper-Hofstadter model, which leads to a nearly flat Chern band with $C_D\!=\!2$. We explore a realistic sequence to load atoms into the dark Chern band, as well as a probing scheme based on Hall drift measurements. Dark Chern bands offer a practical platform where exotic fractional quantum Hall states could be realized in ultracold gases.

• Symmetry decomposition of negativity of massless free fermions

  Sara Murciano, Riccarda Bonsignori, and Pasquale Calabrese

  SciPost Phys. 10, 111 (2021) · published 19 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider the problem of symmetry decomposition of the entanglement negativity in free fermionic systems. Rather than performing the standard partial transpose, we use the partial time-reversal transformation which naturally encodes the fermionic statistics. The negativity admits a resolution in terms of the charge imbalance between the two subsystems. We introduce a normalised version of the imbalance resolved negativity which has the advantage to be an entanglement proxy for each symmetry sector, but may diverge in the limit of pure states for some sectors. Our main focus is then the resolution of the negativity for a free Dirac field at finite temperature and size. We consider both bipartite and tripartite geometries and exploit conformal field theory to derive universal results for the charge imbalance resolved negativity. To this end, we use a geometrical construction in terms of an Aharonov-Bohm-like flux inserted in the Riemann surface defining the entanglement. We interestingly find that the entanglement negativity is always equally distributed among the different imbalance sectors at leading order. Our analytical findings are tested against exact numerical calculations for free fermions on a lattice.

  5 citations

• From deconfined spinons to coherent magnons in an antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain with long range interactions

  Luhang Yang, Adrian E. Feiguin

  SciPost Phys. 10, 110 (2021) · published 19 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the nature of the excitations of an antiferromagnetic (AFM) Heisenberg chain with staggered long range interactions using the time-dependent density matrix renormalization group method and by means of a multi-spinon approximation. The chain undergoes true symmetry breaking and develops long range order, transitioning from a gapless spin liquid to a gapless ordered AFM phase. The spin dynamical structure factor shows that the emergence of N\'eel order can be associated to the formation of bound states of spinons that become coherent magnons. The quasiparticle band leaks out from the two-spinon continuum that is pushed up to higher energies. Our physical picture is also supported by an analysis of the behavior of the excitations in real-time.

• Minimal Zeeman field requirement for a topological transition in superconductors

  Kim Pöyhönen, Daniel Varjas, Michael Wimmer, Anton R. Akhmerov

  SciPost Phys. 10, 108 (2021) · published 18 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Platforms for creating Majorana quasiparticles rely on superconductivity and breaking of time-reversal symmetry. By studying continuous deformations to known trivial states, we find that the relationship between superconducting pairing and time reversal breaking imposes rigorous bounds on the topology of the system. Applying these bounds to $s$-wave systems with a Zeeman field, we conclude that a topological phase transition requires that the Zeeman energy at least locally exceed the superconducting pairing by the energy gap of the full Hamiltonian. Our results are independent of the geometry and dimensionality of the system.

  2 citations

• Electric manipulation of domain walls in magnetic Weyl semimetals via the axial anomaly

  Julia D. Hannukainen, Alberto Cortijo, Jens H. Bardarson, Yago Ferreiros

  SciPost Phys. 10, 102 (2021) · published 11 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We show how the axial (chiral) anomaly induces a spin torque on the magnetization in magnetic Weyl semimetals. The anomaly produces an imbalance in left- and right-handed chirality carriers when non-orthogonal electric and magnetic fields are applied. Such imbalance generates a spin density which exerts a torque on the magnetization, the strength of which can be controlled by the intensity of the applied electric field. We show how this results in an electric control of the chirality of domain walls, as well as in an improvement of the domain wall dynamics, by delaying the onset of the Walker breakdown. The measurement of the electric field mediated changes in the domain wall chirality would constitute a direct proof of the axial anomaly. Additionally, we show how quantum fluctuations of electronic Fermi arc states bound to the domain wall naturally induce an effective magnetic anisotropy, allowing for high domain wall velocities even if the intrinsic anisotropy of the magnetic Weyl semimetal is small.

  1 citation

• Lattice Clifford fractons and their Chern-Simons-like theory

  Weslei B. Fontana, Pedro R. S. Gomes, Claudio Chamon

  SciPost Phys. Core 4, 012 (2021) · published 11 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We use Dirac matrix representations of the Clifford algebra to build fracton models on the lattice and their effective Chern-Simons-like theory. As an example we build lattice fractons in odd $D$ spatial dimensions and their $(D+1)$ effective theory. The model possesses an anti-symmetric $K$ matrix resembling that of hierarchical quantum Hall states. The gauge charges are conserved in sub-dimensional manifolds which ensures the fractonic behavior. The construction extends to any lattice fracton model built from commuting projectors and with tensor products of spin-$1/2$ degrees of freedom at the sites.

  1 citation

• The Loschmidt Index

  Diego Liska, Vladimir Gritsev

  SciPost Phys. 10, 100 (2021) · published 4 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the nodes of the wavefunction overlap between ground states of a parameter-dependent Hamiltonian. These nodes are topological, and we can use them to analyze in a unifying way both equilibrium and dynamical quantum phase transitions in multi-band systems. We define the Loschmidt index as the number of nodes in this overlap and discuss the relationship between this index and the wrapping number of a closed auxiliary hypersurface. This relationship allows us to compute this index systematically, using an integral representation of the wrapping number. We comment on the relationship between the Loschmidt index and other well-established topological numbers. As an example, we classify the equilibrium and dynamical quantum phase transitions of the XY model by counting the nodes in the wavefunction overlaps.

• The folded spin-1/2 XXZ model: II. Thermodynamics and hydrodynamics with a minimal set of charges

  Lenart Zadnik, Kemal Bidzhiev, Maurizio Fagotti

  SciPost Phys. 10, 099 (2021) · published 3 May 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the (dual) folded spin-1/2 XXZ model in the thermodynamic limit. We focus, in particular, on a class of local macrostates that includes Gibbs ensembles. We develop a thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz description and work out generalised hydrodynamics at the leading order. Remarkably, in the ballistic scaling limit the junction of two local macrostates results in a discontinuity in the profile of essentially any local observable.

  6 citations

• Screw dislocations in the X-cube fracton model

  Nandagopal Manoj, Kevin Slagle, Wilbur Shirley, Xie Chen

  SciPost Phys. 10, 094 (2021) · published 29 April 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The X-cube model, a prototypical gapped fracton model, has been shown to have a foliation structure. That is, inside the 3+1D model, there are hidden layers of 2+1D gapped topological states. A screw dislocation in a 3+1D lattice can often reveal nontrivial features associated with a layered structure. In this paper, we study the X-cube model on lattices with screw dislocations. In particular, we find that a screw dislocation results in a finite change in the logarithm of the ground state degeneracy of the model. Part of the change can be traced back to the effect of screw dislocations in a simple stack of 2+1D topological states, hence corroborating the foliation structure in the model. The other part of the change comes from the induced motion of fractons or sub-dimensional excitations along the dislocation, a feature absent in the stack of 2+1D layers.

• Charge quantization and detector resolution

  Roman-Pascal Riwar

  SciPost Phys. 10, 093 (2021) · published 29 April 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Charge quantization, or the absence thereof, is a central theme in quantum circuit theory, with dramatic consequences for the predicted circuit dynamics. Very recently, the question of whether or not charge should actually be described as quantized has enjoyed renewed widespread interest, with however seemingly contradictory propositions. Here, we intend to reconcile these different approaches, by arguing that ultimately, charge quantization is not an intrinsic system property, but instead depends on the spatial resolution of the charge detector. We show that the latter can be directly probed by unique geometric signatures in the correlations of the supercurrent. We illustrate these findings at the example Josephson junction arrays in the superinductor regime, where the transported charge appears to be continuous. Finally, we comment on potential consequences of charge quantization beyond superconducting circuits.