arXiv subjects

Andreas W. W. Ludwig

Publications and source records attributed to Andreas W. W. Ludwig.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Generalized Gibbs Ensemble Description of Real Space Entanglement Spectra of (2+1)-dimensional Chiral Topological Systems with $SU(2)$ Symmetry

We provide a quantitative analysis of the splittings in low-lying numerical entanglement spectra (ES), at given momentum, of a number of quantum states that can be identified, based on "Li-Haldane state-counting", as ground states of (2+1)-dimensional chiral topological phases with global SU(2) symmetry. The ability to account for numerical ES splittings solely within the context of conformal field theory (CFT) is an additional diagnostic of the underlying topological theory, of finer sensitivity than "state-counting". We use the conformal boundary state description of the ES, which can be viewed as a quantum quench. In this language, the ES splittings arise from local conservation laws in the chiral CFT besides the energy, which we view as a Generalized Gibbs Ensemble (GGE). Global SU(2) symmetry imposes strong constraints on the number of such conservation laws, so that only a small number of parameters can be responsible for the splittings. We work out these conservation laws for chiral SU(2) Wess-Zumino-Witten CFTs at levels one and two, and for the latter we notably find that some of the conservation laws take the form of local integrals of operators of fractional dimension, as proposed by Cardy for quantum quenches. We analyze numerical ES from systems with SU(2) symmetry including chiral spin-liquid ground states of local 2D Hamiltonians and two chiral Projected Entangled Pair States (PEPS) tensor networks, which exhibit the "state-counting" of the SU(2)-level-one and -level-two theories. We find that the low-lying ES splittings can be well understood by the lowest of our conservation laws, and we demonstrate the importance of accounting for the fractional conservation laws at level two. Thus the states we consider, including the PEPS, appear chiral also under our more sensitive diagnostic.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Operator scaling dimensions and multifractality at measurement-induced transitions

Repeated local measurements of quantum many body systems can induce a phase transition in their entanglement structure. These measurement-induced phase transitions (MIPTs) have been studied for various types of dynamics, yet most cases yield quantitatively similar values of the critical exponents, making it unclear if there is only one underlying universality class. Here, we directly probe the properties of the conformal field theories governing these MIPTs using a numerical transfer-matrix method, which allows us to extract the effective central charge, as well as the first few low-lying scaling dimensions of operators at these critical points. Our results provide convincing evidence that the generic and Clifford MIPTs for qubits lie in different universality classes and that both are distinct from the percolation transition for qudits in the limit of large onsite Hilbert space dimension. For the generic case, we find strong evidence of multifractal scaling of correlation functions at the critical point, reflected in a continuous spectrum of scaling dimensions.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2021

Conformal invariance and quantum non-locality in critical hybrid circuits

We establish the emergence of a conformal field theory (CFT) in a (1+1)-dimensional hybrid quantum circuit right at the measurement-driven entanglement transition by revealing space-time conformal covariance of entanglement entropies and mutual information for various subregions at different circuit depths. While the evolution takes place in real time, the spacetime manifold of the circuit appears to host a Euclidean field theory with imaginary time. Throughout the paper we investigate Clifford circuits with several different boundary conditions by injecting physical qubits at the spatial and/or temporal boundaries, all giving consistent characterizations of the underlying "Clifford CFT." We emphasize (super)universal results that are consequences solely of the conformal invariance and do not depend crucially on the precise nature of the CFT. Among these are the infinite entangling speed as a consequence of measurement-induced quantum nonlocality and the critical purification dynamics of a mixed initial state.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Diffusive scaling of Rényi entanglement entropy

Recent studies found that the diffusive transport of conserved quantities in non-integrable many-body systems has an imprint on quantum entanglement: while the von Neumann entropy of a state grows linearly in time $t$ under a global quench, all $n$th Rényi entropies with $n > 1$ grow with a diffusive scaling $\sqrt{t}$. To understand this phenomenon, we introduce an amplitude $A(t)$, which is the overlap of the time-evolution operator $U(t)$ of the entire system with the tensor product of the two evolution operators of the subsystems of a spatial bipartition. As long as $|A(t)| \ge e^{-\sqrt{Dt}}$, which we argue holds true for generic diffusive non-integrable systems, all $n$th Rényi entropies with $n >1$ (annealed-averaged over initial product states) are bounded from above by $\sqrt{t}$. We prove the following inequality for the disorder average of the amplitude, $\overline{|A(t)|} \ge e^{ - \sqrt{Dt}} $, in a local spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ random circuit with a $\text{U}(1)$ conservation law by mapping to the survival probability of a symmetric exclusion process. Furthermore, we numerically show that the typical decay behaves asymptotically, for long times, as $|A(t)| \sim e^{ - \sqrt{Dt}} $ in the same random circuit as well as in a prototypical non-integrable model with diffusive energy transport but no disorder.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Establishing strongly-coupled 3D AdS quantum gravity with Ising dual using all-genus partition functions

We study 3D pure Einstein quantum gravity with negative cosmological constant, in the regime where the AdS radius $l$ is of the order of the Planck scale. Specifically, when the Brown-Henneaux central charge $c=3l/2G_N$ ($G_N$ is the 3D Newton constant) equals $c=1/2$, we establish duality between 3D gravity and 2D Ising conformal field theory by matching gravity and conformal field theory partition functions for AdS spacetimes with general asymptotic boundaries. This duality was suggested by a genus-one calculation of Castro et al. [Phys. Rev. D {\bf 85}, 024032 (2012)]. Extension beyond genus-one requires new mathematical results based on 3D Topological Quantum Field Theory; these turn out to uniquely select the $c=1/2$ theory among all those with $c<1$, extending the previous results of Castro et al.. Previous work suggests the reduction of the calculation of the gravity partition function to a problem of summation over the orbits of the mapping class group action on a "vacuum seed". But whether or not the summation is well-defined for the general case was unknown before this work. Amongst all theories with Brown-Henneaux central charge $c<1$, the sum is finite and unique {\it only} when $c=1/2$, corresponding to a dual Ising conformal field theory on the asymptotic boundary.

hep-th↗

arXiv2019

Entanglement Transitions from Holographic Random Tensor Networks

We introduce a novel class of phase transitions separating quantum states with different entanglement features. An example of such an "entanglement phase transition" is provided by the many-body localization transition in disordered quantum systems, as it separates highly entangled thermal states at weak disorder from many-body localized states with low entanglement at strong disorder. In the spirit of random matrix theory, we describe a simple model for such transitions where a physical quantum many-body system lives at the "holographic" boundary of a bulk random tensor network. Using a replica trick approach, we map the calculation of the entanglement properties of the boundary system onto the free energy cost of fluctuating domain walls in a classical statistical mechanics model. This allows us to interpret transitions between volume-law and area-law scaling of entanglement as ordering transitions in this statistical mechanics model. Our approach allows us to get an analytic handle on the field theory of these entanglement transitions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2019

Measurement-induced criticality in random quantum circuits

We investigate the critical behavior of the entanglement transition induced by projective measurements in (Haar) random unitary quantum circuits. Using a replica approach, we map the calculation of the entanglement entropies in such circuits onto a two-dimensional statistical mechanics model. In this language, the area- to volume-law entanglement transition can be interpreted as an ordering transition in the statistical mechanics model. We derive the general scaling properties of the entanglement entropies and mutual information near the transition using conformal invariance. We analyze in detail the limit of infinite on-site Hilbert space dimension in which the statistical mechanics model maps onto percolation. In particular, we compute the exact value of the universal coefficient of the logarithm of subsystem size in the $n$th Rényi entropies for $n \geq 1$ in this limit using relatively recent results for conformal field theory describing the critical theory of 2D percolation, and we discuss how to access the generic transition at finite on-site Hilbert space dimension from this limit, which is in a universality class different from 2D percolation. We also comment on the relation to the entanglement transition in Random Tensor Networks, studied previously in Ref. 1.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2019

Symmetry-protected non-Fermi liquids, Kagome spin liquids, and the chiral Kondo lattice model

The theoretical description of non-Fermi liquids is among the most challenging questions in strongly correlated quantum matter. While there are many experimental candidates for such phases, few examples can be studied using controlled theoretical approaches. Here we introduce a novel conceptual perspective to analytically describe the non-Fermi liquid physics of gapless spin liquids arising in a family of two- and three-dimensional Kagome models. We first discuss a symmetry-protection mechanism that is responsible for the stability of the gapless phase. We then re-cast the two-dimensional Kagome spin model as a chiral Kondo lattice model that can be tackled analytically using what is in a sense a generalization of coupled-wire constructions. We provide extensive numerical evidence for a gapless spin liquid in the two-dimensional Kagome model and discuss generalizations to three dimensions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Entanglement hamiltonian evolution during thermalization in conformal field theory

In this work, we study the time evolution of the entanglement hamiltonian during the process of thermalization in a (1+1)-dimensional conformal field theory (CFT) after a quantum quench from a special class of initial states. In particular, we focus on a subsystem which is a finite interval at the end of a semi-infinite line. Based on conformal mappings, the exact forms of both entanglement hamiltonian and entanglement spectrum of the subsystem can be obtained. Aside from various interesting features, it is found that in the infinite time limit the entanglement hamiltonian and entanglement spectrum are exactly the same as those in the thermal ensemble. The entanglement spectrum approaches the steady state spectrum exponentially in time. We also study the modular flows generated by the entanglement hamiltonian in Minkowski spacetime, which provides us with an intuitive picture of how the entanglement propagates and how the subsystem is thermalized. Furthermore, the effect of a generic initial state is also discussed.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Universal Spectral Correlations in the Chaotic Wave Function, and the Development of Quantum Chaos

We investigate the appearance of quantum chaos in a single many-body wave function by analyzing the statistical properties of the eigenvalues of its reduced density matrix $ρ_A$ of a spatial subsystem A. We find that the spectrum of $ρ_A$ is described by a so-called Wishart random matrix, which exhibits universal spectral correlations between eigenvalues separated by distances ranging from one up to many mean level spacings. We use these universal spectral characteristics of $ρ_A$ as a definition of chaos in the wave function. A simple and precise characterization of such correlations is a segment of linear growth at sufficiently long times, recently called the "ramp", of the spectral form factor. Specifically, numerical results for the spectral form factor of $ρ_A$ of generic non-integrable systems, such as one-dimensional quantum Ising and Floquet spin models, are found to exhibit an universal ramp identical to that appearing for a random pure state, in which $ρ_A$ is the Wishart random matrix. In addition, we study the development of chaos in the wave function by letting an initial direct product state evolve under the unitary time evolution. We find that the universal spectral correlations as manifested by the ramp set in as soon as the entanglement entropy begins to grow, and first develop for the eigenvalues at the top of the spectrum of $ρ_A$, subsequently spreading over the entire spectrum at later times. Finally, we study a prethermalized regime described by a generalized Gibbs ensemble, which develops in a rapidly driven Floquet model at intermediate times. We find that the prethermalized regime exhibits no chaos, as evidenced by the absence of a ramp in the spectral form factor of $ρ_A$, while the universal spectral correlations start to develop when the prethermalized regime finally relaxes at late times to the fully thermalized chaotic regime.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev Model and Thermalization on the Boundary of Many-Body Localized Fermionic Symmetry Protected Topological States

We consider the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model as an effective theory arising at the zero-dimensional boundary of a many-body localized, Fermionic symmetry protected topological (SPT) phase in one spatial dimension. The Fermions at the boundary are always fully interacting. We find that the boundary is thermalized and investigate how its boundary anomaly, dictated by the bulk SPT order, is encoded in the quantum chaotic eigenspectrum of the SYK model. We show that depending on the SPT symmetry class, the boundary many-body level statistics cycle in a systematic manner through those of the three different Wigner-Dyson random matrix ensembles with a periodicity in the topological index that matches the interaction-reduced classification of the bulk SPT states. We consider all three symmetry classes BDI, AIII, and CII, whose SPT phases are classified in one spatial dimension by $\mathbb{Z}$ in the absence of interactions. For symmetry class BDI, we derive the eight-fold periodicity of the Wigner-Dyson statistics by using Clifford algebras.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Topological Bootstrap: Fractionalization From Kondo Coupling

We propose a route toward realizing fractionalized topological phases of matter (i.e. with intrinsic topological order) by literally building on un-fractionalized phases. Our approach employs a Kondo lattice model in which a gapped electronic system of non-interacting fermions is coupled to non-interacting local moments via the exchange interaction. Using general entanglement-based arguments and explicit lattice models, we show that in this way gapped spin liquids can be induced in the spin system. We demonstrate the power of this topological bootstrap concept with two examples: (1) a chiral spin liquid induced by a Chern insulator and (2) a Z2 spin liquid induced by a superconductor. In particular, in the latter example, the toric code is realized as an exactly solvable example of topological bootstrap. Our approach can be generalized to all lattices, higher dimensions, and non-abelian topological orders.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Relationship between Symmetry Protected Topological Phases and Boundary Conformal Field Theories via the Entanglement Spectrum

Quantum phase transitions out of a symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phase in (1+1) dimensions into an adjacent, topologically distinct SPT phase protected by the same symmetry or a trivial gapped phase, are typically described by a conformal field theory (CFT). At the same time, the low-lying entanglement spectrum of a gapped phase close to such a quantum critical point is known(Cho et al., arXiv:1603.04016), very generally, to be universal and described by (gapless) boundary conformal field theory. Using this connection we show that symmetry properties of the boundary conditions in boundary CFT can be used to characterize the symmetry-protected degeneracies of the entanglement spectrum, a hallmark of non-trivial symmetry-protected topological phases. Specifically, we show that the relevant boundary CFT is the orbifold of the quantum critical point with respect to the symmetry group defining the SPT, and that the boundary states of this orbifold carry a quantum anomaly that determines the topological class of the SPT. We illustrate this connection using various characteristic examples such as the time-reversal breaking "Kitaev chain" superconductor (symmetry class D), the Haldane phase, and the $\mathbb{Z}_8$ classification of interacting topological superconductors in symmetry class BDI in (1+1) dimensions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Evolution operators in conformal field theories and conformal mappings: the entanglement Hamiltonian, the sine-square deformation, and others

By making use of conformal mapping, we construct various time-evolution operators in (1+1) dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs), which take the form $\int dx\, f(x) \mathcal{H}(x)$, where $\mathcal{H}(x)$ is the Hamiltonian density of the CFT, and $f(x)$ is an envelope function. Examples of such deformed evolution operators include the entanglement Hamiltonian, and the so-called sine-square deformation of the CFT. Within our construction, the spectrum and the (finite-size) scaling of the level spacing of the deformed evolution operator are known exactly. Based on our construction, we also propose a regularized version of the sine-square deformation, which, in contrast to the original sine-square deformation, has the spectrum of the CFT defined on a spatial circle of finite circumference $L$, and for which the level spacing scales as $1/L^2$, once the circumference of the circle and the regularization parameter are suitably adjusted.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Universal Entanglement Spectra of Gapped One-dimensional Field Theories

We discuss the entanglement spectrum of the ground state of a gapped (1+1)-dimensional system in a phase near a quantum phase transition. In particular, in proximity to a quantum phase transition described by a conformal field theory (CFT), the system is represented by a gapped Lorentz invariant field theory in the "scaling limit" (correlation length $ξ$ much larger than microscopic 'lattice' scale $a$), and can be thought of as a CFT perturbed by a relevant perturbation. We show that for such (1+1) gapped Lorentz invariant field theories in infinite space, the low-lying entanglement spectrum obtained by tracing out, say, left half-infinite space, is precisely equal to the physical spectrum of the unperturbed gapless, i.e. conformal field theory defined on a finite interval of length $L_ξ=$ $\log(ξ/a)$ with certain boundary conditions. In particular, the low-lying entanglement spectrum of the gapped theory is the finite-size spectrum of a boundary conformal field theory, and is always discrete and universal. Each relevant perturbation, and thus each gapped phase in proximity to the quantum phase transition, maps into a particular boundary condition. A similar property has been known to hold for Baxter's Corner Transfer Matrices in a very special class of fine-tuned, namely integrable off-critical lattice models, for the entire entanglement spectrum and independent of the scaling limit. In contrast, our result applies to completely general gapped Lorentz invariant theories in the scaling limit, without the requirement of integrability, for the low-lying entanglement spectrum. - The finite-size spectra of the entanglement Hamiltonian and of the physical Hamiltonian on an interval of length R exhibit entirely different behaviors upon crossover from the critical regime $R \ll ξ$ to the gapped regime $R \gg ξ$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Topological phases: Classification of topological insulators and superconductors of non-interacting Fermions, and beyond

After briefly recalling the quantum entanglement-based view of topological phases of matter in order to outline the general context, we give an overview of different approaches to the classification problem of topological insulators and superconductors of non-interacting Fermions. In particular, we review in some detail general symmetry aspects of the "ten-fold way" which forms the foundation of the classification, and put different approaches to the classification in relationship with each other. We end by briefly mentioning some of the results obtained on the effect of interactions, mainly in three spatial dimensions.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Gapped and gapless spin liquid phases on the Kagome lattice from chiral three-spin interactions

We argue that a relatively simple model containing only SU(2)-invariant chiral three-spin interactions on a Kagome lattice of S=1/2 spins can give rise to both a gapped and a gapless quantum spin liquid. Our arguments are rooted in a formulation in terms of network models of edge states and are backed up by a careful numerical analysis. For a uniform choice of chirality on the lattice, we realize the Kalmeyer-Laughlin state, i.e. a gapped spin liquid which is identified as the nu=1/2 bosonic Laughlin state. For staggered chiralities, a gapless spin liquid emerges which exhibits gapless spin excitations along lines in momentum space, a feature that we probe by studying quasi-two-dimensional systems of finite width. We thus provide a single, appealingly simple spin model (i) for what is probably the simplest realization of the Kalmeyer-Laughlin state to date, as well as (ii) for a non-Fermi liquid state with lines of gapless SU(2) spin excitations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2014

Perturbed vortex lattices and the stability of nucleated topological phases

We study the stability of nucleated topological phases that can emerge when interacting non-Abelian anyons form a regular array. The studies are carried out in the context of Kitaev's honeycomb model, where we consider three distinct types of perturbations in the presence of a lattice of Majorana mode binding vortices -- spatial anisotropy of the vortices, dimerization of the vortex lattice and local random disorder. While all the nucleated phases are stable with respect to weak perturbations of each kind, strong perturbations are found to result in very different behavior. Anisotropy of the vortices stabilizes the strong-pairing like phases, while dimerization can recover the underlying non-Abelian phase. Local random disorder, on the other hand, can drive all the nucleated phases into a gapless thermal metal state. We show that all these distinct behavior can be captured by an effective staggered tight-binding model for the Majorana modes. By studying the pairwise interactions between the vortices, i.e. the amplitudes for the Majorana modes to tunnel between vortex cores, the locations of phase transitions and the nature of the resulting states can be predicted. We also find that due to oscillations in the Majorana tunneling amplitude, lattices of Majorana modes may exhibit a Peierls-like instability, where a dimerized configuration is favored over a uniform lattice. As the nature of the nucleated phases depends only on the Majorana tunneling, our results apply also to other system supporting localized Majorana mode arrays, such as Abrikosov lattices in p-wave superconductors, Wigner crystals in Moore-Read fractional quantum Hall states or arrays of topological nanowires.

cond-mat.str-el↗