arXiv subjects

Adam Rançon

Publications and source records attributed to Adam Rançon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Universal scaling of fluctuations and correlations across the superfluid transition

The critical behavior of a system near a continuous phase transition is commonly characterized by power laws and a set of universal critical exponents. Yet universality at phase transitions has even more fundamental manifestations. It dictates that all observables follow universal scaling functions, which may extend beyond simple power laws. Furthermore, microscopic details are captured entirely by only two system-specific scale factors, that rescale any measured quantity onto its universal form. In this work, we report the experimental validation of this prediction in ultracold lattice Bose gases undergoing the superfluid transition. We extract the scale factors by collapsing the order-parameter cumulants measured at varying entropies. We show that these factors specify scaling functions governing both the order-parameter distribution and two-point correlations. By measuring these scaling functions, we also determine three critical exponents $\beta$, $\gamma$ and $\nu$. Our results provide an experimental demonstration that universal scaling is simultaneously obeyed by multiple observables in a quantum many-body system.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2026

Supersymmetry Without Time-Reversal Invariance in Model A: A FRG perspective

We show that, contrary to common belief, supersymmetry alone is not sufficient in Model A dynamics to ensure relaxation toward a stationary state satisfying time-reversal invariance (TRI). An additional condition on top of supersymmetry is required for TRI, which we analyze in detail. We explicitly construct a model that is supersymmetric but violates TRI, and argue that, at least perturbatively, TRI nevertheless emerges as an effective large-scale symmetry. Using the functional renormalization group (FRG), we further show that the dynamical effective action, $\Gamma[\varphi,\tilde\varphi]$, contains the derivative of the equilibrium effective action, $\Gamma^{\mathrm{eq}}[\varphi]$, whose renormalization-group flow is identical to that of the equilibrium theory order by order in the derivative expansion. Finally, extending the same line of reasoning, we show that the probability distribution of the total magnetization in the Ising model can be recovered within the Model A framework.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Conformal Invariance of the large-$N$ limit of the $O(N)$ universality class

Conformal symmetry is expected to be realized in many equilibrium statistical mechanical systems at criticality. Although this is certainly true in two-dimensional systems, the three-dimensional case is subtler, and only a few proofs exist, only so in very specific cases. In this work, we give two proofs for the large $N$ limit of the $O(N)$ universality class within the non-perturbative renormalization group framework: one functional, and one vertex-by-vertex in Fourier space. While doing so, we unveil how the theory is structured in order for conformal symmetry to be realized. As a consequence, we shed light on what to expect, on rather general grounds, for a theory to be conformally invariant.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Constraint correlation functions of the one-dimensional Ising model in the scaling limit

We study the correlation function of the one-dimensional Ising model at fixed magnetization. Focusing on the scaling limit close to the zero-temperature fixed point, we show that this correlation function, in momentum space, exhibits surprising oscillations as a function of the magnetization. We show that these oscillations have a period inversely proportional to the momentum and give an interpretation in terms of domain walls. This is in sharp contrast with the behavior of the correlation function in constant magnetic fields, and sheds light on recent results obtained by Monte Carlo simulations for the correlation functions of the critical two-dimensional Ising model at fixed magnetization.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Constraint effective action and critical correlation functions at fixed magnetization

We present an extension of the functional renormalization group (FRG) framework developed to compute critical probability distributions of the order parameter to momentum-dependent observables. Focusing on the constraint effective action at fixed magnetization for the Ising universality class, we derive its exact flow equations and solve them at the second order of the derivative expansion (DE2). We solve these flow equations numerically for two- and three-dimensional systems, extract universal rate functions and momentum-dependent correlation functions, and benchmark them against Monte Carlo simulations. In three dimensions, we recover the rate function and accurately reproduce the first few Fourier modes of the constrained correlation function and demonstrate the convergence of the method. In two dimensions, the lowest order approximations such as local potential approximation (LPA) fail, and it is required to consider at least the DE2 to describe the critical point. Our results are in qualitative agreement with the numerics. We confirm the robustness of the FRG approach for calculating both zero- and finite-momentum critical observables at fixed magnetization.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Observation of universal non-Gaussian statistics of the order parameter across a continuous phase transition

Second-order phase transitions are characterised by critical scaling and universality. The singular behaviour of thermodynamic quantities at the transition, in particular, is determined by critical exponents of the universality class of the transition. However, critical properties are also characterised by the probability distribution of the order parameter across the transition, where non-Gaussian statistics are expected, but remain largely unexplored. Here, making use of single-atom-resolved detection in momentum space, we measure the full probability distribution of the order-parameter amplitude across a continuous phase transition in an interacting lattice Bose gas. We find that fluctuations are captured by an effective potential -- reconstructed from the measured probability distribution by analogy with Landau theory -- displaying a non-trivial minimum in the superfluid (ordered) phase, which vanishes at the transition point. Additionally, we observe non-Gaussian statistics of the order parameter near the transition, distinguished by non-zero high-order cumulants undergoing abrupt sign changes. We show numerically that these sign changes of the cumulants obey critical scaling in homogeneous systems, and that their experimental behaviour is not reproduced by classical models, whereas it is captured by a low-temperature quantum model. Our results underscore the crucial role of order parameter statistics in probing critical phenomena and universality.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Dreaming up scale invariance via inverse renormalization group

We explore how minimal neural networks can invert the renormalization group (RG) coarse-graining procedure in the two-dimensional Ising model, effectively ``dreaming up'' microscopic configurations from coarse-grained states. This task - formally impossible at the level of configurations - can be approached probabilistically, allowing machine learning models to reconstruct scale-invariant distributions without relying on microscopic input. We demonstrate that even neural networks with as few as three trainable parameters can learn to generate critical configurations, reproducing the scaling behavior of observables such as magnetic susceptibility, heat capacity, and Binder ratios. A real-space renormalization group analysis of the generated configurations confirms that the models capture not only scale invariance but also reproduce nontrivial eigenvalues of the RG transformation. While the inversion is necessarily imperfect, these minimal models robustly reproduce the RG-relevant structure of the critical distribution. Surprisingly, we find that increasing network complexity by introducing multiple layers offers no significant benefit. These findings suggest that simple local rules, akin to those generating fractal structures, are sufficient to encode the universality of critical phenomena, creating an opportunity for efficient generative models of statistical ensembles in physics.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Two-body contact of a Bose gas near the superfluid--Mott-insulator transition

The two-body contact is a fundamental quantity of a dilute Bose gas that relates the thermodynamics to the short-distance two-body correlations. For a Bose gas in an optical lattice, near the superfluid--Mott-insulator transition, we show that a ``universal'' contact $C_{\rm univ}$ can be defined from the singular part $P-P_{\rm MI}$ of the pressure ($P_{\rm MI}$ is the pressure of the Mott insulator). Its expression $C_{\rm univ}=C_{\rm DBG}(|n-n^{\rm MI}|,a^*)$ coincides with that of a dilute Bose gas provided we consider the effective ``scattering length'' $a^*$ of the quasi-particles at the quantum critical point (QCP) rather than the scattering length in vacuum, and the excess density $|n-n^{\rm MI}|$ of particles (or holes) with respect to the Mott insulator. Close to the transition, we find that the singular part $n^{\rm sing}_{\bf k} = n_{\bf k} - n^{\rm MI}_{\bf k}$ of the momentum distribution exhibits a high-momentum tail of the form $Z_{\rm QP} C_{\rm univ}/|{\bf k}|^4$ over a broad region of the Brillouin zone, where $Z_{\rm QP}$ is the quasi-particle weight of the elementary excitations at the QCP. Our results demonstrate that the notion of contact extends to strongly correlated lattice bosons, and we argue that the contact $C_{\rm univ}$ can be measured in state-of-the-art experiments on Bose gases in optical lattices and magnetic insulators.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Strong-coupling RPA theory of a Bose gas near the superfluid--Mott-insulator transition: universal thermodynamics and two-body contact

We present a strong-coupling expansion of the Bose-Hubbard model based on a mean-field treatment of the hopping term, while onsite fluctuations are taken into account exactly. This random phase approximation (RPA) describes the universal features of the generic Mott-insulator--superfluid transition (induced by a density change) and the superfluid state near the phase transition. The critical quasi-particles at the quantum critical point have a quadratic dispersion with an effective mass $m^*$ and their mutual interaction is described by an effective $s$-wave scattering length $a^*$. The singular part of the pressure takes the same form as in a dilute Bose gas, provided we replace the boson mass $m$ and the scattering length in vacuum $a$ by $m^*$ and $a^*$, and the density $n$ by the excess density $|n-n_{\rm MI}|$ of particles (or holes) with respect to the Mott insulator. We define a ``universal'' two-body contact $C_{\rm univ}$ that controls the high-momentum tail $\sim 1/|{\bf k}|^4$ of the singular part $n^{\rm sing}_{\bf k}$ of the momentum distribution. We also apply the strong-coupling RPA to a lattice model of hard-core bosons and find that the high-momentum distribution is controlled by a universal contact, in complete agreement with the Bose-Hubbard model. Finally, we discuss a continuum model of bosons in an optical lattice and define two additional two-body contacts: a short-distance ``universal'' contact $C_{\rm univ}^{\rm sd}$ which controls the high-momentum tail of $n^{\rm sing}_{\bf k}$ at scales larger than the inverse lattice spacing, and a ``full'' contact $C$ which controls the high-momentum tail of the full momentum distribution $n_{\bf k}$.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2025

Probability distributions of the order parameter of the $O(N)$ model

We study the probability distribution function (PDF) of the order parameter of the three-dimensional $O(N)$ model at criticality using the functional renormalisation group. For this purpose, we generalize the method introduced in [Balog et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 129}, 210602 (2022)] to the $O(N)$ model. We study the large $N$ limit, as well as the cases $N=2$ and $N=3$ at the level of the Local Potential Approximation (LPA), and compare our results to Monte Carlo simulations. We compute the entire family of universal scaling functions, obtained in the limit where the system size $L$ and the correlation length of the infinite system $\xi_\infty$ diverge, with the ratio $\zeta=L/\xi_\infty$ constant. We also generalize our results to the approach of criticality from the low-temperature phase where another infinite family of universal PDF exists. We find that the LPA describes very well the functional form of the family of PDFs, once we correct for a global amplitude of the (logarithm of the) PDF and of $\zeta$.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Universal and non-universal large deviations in critical systems

Rare events play a crucial role in understanding complex systems. Characterizing and analyzing them in scale-invariant situations is challenging due to strong correlations. In this work, we focus on characterizing the tails of probability distribution functions (PDFs) for these systems. Using a variety of methods, perturbation theory, functional renormalization group, hierarchical models, large $n$ limit, and Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate universal rare events of critical $O(n)$ systems. Additionally, we explore the crossover from universal to nonuniversal behavior in PDF tails, extending Cram\'er's series to strongly correlated variables. Our findings highlight the universal and nonuniversal aspects of rare event statistics and challenge existing assumptions about power-law corrections to the leading stretched exponential decay in these tails.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Generalization of the Central Limit Theorem to Critical Systems: Revisiting Perturbation Theory

The Central Limit Theorem does not hold for strongly correlated stochastic variables, as is the case for statistical systems close to criticality. Recently, the calculation of the probability distribution function (PDF) of the magnetization mode has been performed with the functional renormalization group in the case of the three-dimensional Ising model [Balog et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 129}, 210602 (2022)]. It has been shown in that article that there exists an entire family of universal PDFs parameterized by $\zeta=\lim_{L,\xi_\infty\rightarrow\infty} L/\xi_\infty$ which is the ratio of the system size $L$ to the bulk correlation length $\xi_{\infty}$ with both the thermodynamic limit and the critical limit being taken simultaneously. We show how these PDFs or, equivalently, the rate functions which are their logarithm, can be systematically computed perturbatively in the $\epsilon=4-d$ expansion. We determine the whole family of universal PDFs and show that they are in good qualitative agreement with Monte Carlo data. Finally, we conjecture on how to significantly improve the quantitative agreement between the one-loop and the numerical results.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

From inverse-cascade to sub-diffusive dynamic scaling in driven disordered Bose fluids

We explore the emergence of universal dynamic scaling in an interacting Bose gas around the condensation transition, under the combined influence of an external driving force and spatial disorder. As time progresses, we find that the Bose gas crosses over three distinct dynamical regimes: (i) an inverse turbulent cascade where interactions dominate the drive, (ii) a stationary regime where the inverse cascade and the drive counterbalance one other, and (iii) a sub-diffusive cascade in energy space governed by the drive and disorder, a phenomenon recently observed experimentally. We show that all three dynamical regimes can be described by self-similar scaling laws.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2024

Numerical study of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation on a two-dimensional ring and vortex nucleation

We consider the Gross-Pitaevskii equation with a confining ring potential with a Gaussian profile. By introducing a rotating sinusoidal perturbation, we numerically highlight the nucleation of quantum vortices in a particular regime throughout the dynamics. Numerical computations are made via a Strang splitting time integration and a two-point flux approximation Finite Volume scheme based on a particular admissible triangulation. We also develop numerical algorithms for vortex tracking adapted to our finite volume framework.

math.NA↗

arXiv2024

Exploring quantum criticality in a 4D quantum disordered system

Phase transitions are prevalent throughout physics, spanning thermal phenomena like water boiling to magnetic transitions in solids. They encompass cosmological phase transitions in the early universe and the transition into a quark-gluon plasma in high-energy collisions. Quantum phase transitions, particularly intriguing, occur at temperatures near absolute zero and are driven by quantum fluctuations rather than thermal ones. The strength of the fluctuations is very sensitive to the dimensionality of the physical systems, which determines the existence and nature of phase transitions. Low-dimensional systems often exhibit suppression of phase transitions, while high-dimensional systems tend to exhibit mean-field-like behavior. The localization-delocalization Anderson transition stands out among quantum phase transitions, as it is thought to retain its non-mean-field character across all dimensions. This work marks the first observation and characterization of the Anderson transition in four dimensions using ultracold atoms as a quantum simulator with synthetic dimensions. We characterize the universal dynamics in the vicinity of the phase transition. We measure the critical exponents describing the scale-invariant properties of the critical dynamics, which are shown to obey Wegner's scaling law. Our work is the first experimental demonstration that the Anderson transition is not mean-field in dimension four.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2023

Tan's two-body contact in a planar Bose gas: experiment vs theory

We determine the two-body contact in a planar Bose gas confined by a transverse harmonic potential, using the nonperturbative functional renormalization group. We use the three-dimensional thermodynamic definition of the contact where the latter is related to the derivation of the pressure of the quasi-two-dimensional system with respect to the three-dimensional scattering length of the bosons. Without any free parameter, we find a remarkable agreement with the experimental data of Zou {\it et al.} [Nat. Comm. {\bf 12}, 760 (2021)] from low to high temperatures, including the vicinity of the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. We also show that the short-distance behavior of the pair distribution function and the high-momentum behavior of the momentum distribution are determined by two contacts: the three-dimensional contact for length scales smaller than the characteristic length $\ell_z=\sqrt{\hbar/mω_z}$ of the harmonic potential and, for length scales larger than $\ell_z$, an effective two-dimensional contact, related to the three-dimensional one by a geometric factor depending on $\ell_z$.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2023

Dynamical many-body delocalization transition of a Tonks gas in a quasi-periodic driving potential

The quantum kicked rotor is well-known for displaying dynamical (Anderson) localization. It has recently been shown that a periodically kicked Tonks gas will always localize and converge to a finite energy steady-state. This steady-state has been described as being effectively thermal with an effective temperature that depends on the parameters of the kick. Here we study a generalization to a quasi-periodic driving with three frequencies which, without interactions, has a metal-insulator Anderson transition. We show that a quasi-periodically kicked Tonks gas goes through a dynamical many-body delocalization transition when the kick strength is increased. The localized phase is still described by a low effective temperature, while the delocalized phase corresponds to an infinite-temperature phase, with the temperature increasing linearly in time. At the critical point, the momentum distribution of the Tonks gas displays different scaling at small and large momenta (contrary to the non-interacting case), signaling a breakdown of the one-parameter scaling theory of localization.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2022

From point processes to quantum optics and back

Some fifty years ago, in her seminal PhD thesis, Odile Macchi introduced permanental and determinantal point processes. Her initial motivation was to provide models for the set of detection times in fundamental bosonic or fermionic optical experiments, respectively. After two rather quiet decades, these point processes have quickly become standard examples of point processes with nontrivial, yet tractable, correlation structures. In particular, determinantal point processes have been since the 1990s a technical workhorse in random matrix theory and combinatorics, and a standard model for repulsive point patterns in machine learning and spatial statistics since the 2010s. Meanwhile, our ability to experimentally probe the correlations between detection events in bosonic and fermionic optics has progressed tremendously. In Part I of this survey, we provide a modern introduction to the concepts in Macchi's thesis and their physical motivation, under the combined eye of mathematicians, physicists, and signal processers. Our objective is to provide a shared basis of knowledge for later cross-disciplinary work on point processes in quantum optics, and reconnect with the physical roots of permanental and determinantal point processes.

math-ph↗