arXiv subjects

Cheng-Yong Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Cheng-Yong Zhang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Violation of cosmic censorship in Einstein-Maxwell-Scalar models with fractional coupling

The weak cosmic censorship conjecture plays a foundational role in classical gravity by asserting that spacetime singularities are generically hidden behind event horizons. In this work, we explore its robustness in the Einstein-Maxwell-Scalar theory with fractional coupling by studying both static black hole solutions and their fully nonlinear dynamical evolution. We identify a class of scalarized black holes that develop negative energy density near the event horizon, indicating violations of the classical energy conditions. Numerical evolutions of perturbed configurations reveal that sufficiently strong fractional coupling drives rapid curvature growth and geometric degeneration in the near-horizon region, accompanied by persistent negative energy density. While the simulations do not resolve the ultimate end state, the observed dynamics consistently point toward a weakening of the horizon-supporting structure and are suggestive of incipient naked singularity formation. These results uncover a classical mechanism through which fractional coupling can challenge the validity of the weak cosmic censorship conjecture in asymptotically flat spacetimes.

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arXiv2026

Black Holes Trapped by Ghosts

Violent cosmic events, from black hole mergers to stellar collapses, often leave behind highly excited black hole remnants that inevitably relax to equilibrium. The prevailing view, developed over decades, holds that this relaxation is rapidly filtered into a linear regime, establishing linear perturbation theory as the bedrock of black hole spectroscopy and a key pillar of gravitational-wave physics. Here we unveil a distinct nonlinear regime that transcends the traditional paradigm: before the familiar linear ringdown, an intrinsically nonlinear, long-lived bottleneck can dominate the evolution. This stage is controlled by a saddle-node ghost in phase space, which traps the remnant and delays the onset of linearity by a timescale obeying a universal power-law. The ghost imprints a distinctive quiescence-burst signature on the emitted radiation: a prolonged silence followed by a violent burst and a delayed ringdown. Rooted in the bifurcation topology, it extends naturally to neutron and boson stars, echoing a topological universality shared with diverse nonlinear systems in nature. Our results expose a missing nonlinear chapter in gravitational dynamics and identify ghost-induced quiescence-burst patterns as clear targets for future observations.

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arXiv2025

Dynamic shadow of a black hole with a self-interacting massive complex scalar hair

We investigate the dynamic shadows of a black hole with a self-interacting massive complex scalar hair. The complex scalar field ψevolves with time t, and its magnitude on the apparent horizon |ψ_{h}| starts from zero, undergoes a sharp rise followed by rapid oscillations, and eventually converges to a constant value. The variation in the photon sphere radius r_{ps} is similar to that of the magnitude |ψ_{h}|. Owing to the emergence of the complex scalar hair ψ, the apparent horizon radius r_{h} starts increasing sharply and then smoothly approaches a stable value eventually. The shadow radius R_{sh} of the black hole with an accretion disk increases with time t_{o} at the observer's position. In the absence of an accretion disk, the shadow radius R_{sh} is larger and also increases as t_{o} increases. Furthermore, we slice the dynamical spacetime into spacelike hypersurfaces for all time points t. For the case with an accretion disk, the variation in R_{sh} is similar to that in the apparent horizon r_{h}, because the inner edge of the accretion disk extends to the apparent horizon. In the absence of an accretion disk, the variation in R_{sh} is similar to that in the photon sphere radius r_{ps}, because the black hole shadow boundary is determined by the photon sphere. As the variation in r_{ps} is induced by ψ, it can be stated that the variation in the size of the shadow is similarly caused by the change in ψ. Regardless of the presence or absence of the accretion disk, the emergence of the complex scalar hair ψcauses the radius R_{sh} of the shadow to start changing. Moreover, we investigate the time delay Δt of lights propagating from light sources to the observer. These findings not only enrich the theoretical models of dynamic black hole shadows but also provide a foundation for testing black hole spacetime dynamics.

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arXiv2025

Radial Oscillations of Scalar Hair in Black Hole Bombs

Recent research has revealed a novel nonlinear mechanism, distinct from the linear superradiant instability, which triggers the black hole bomb phenomenon. Introducing a massive complex scalar field with nonlinear self-interactions drives the Reissner-Nordström black hole to shed substantial energy, thereby triggering a black hole bomb. Radial oscillations in the scalar hair profile are observed during this process. In this paper, we further reveal that physical quantities associated with scalar hair exhibit identical oscillation patterns during the evolution of the black hole-scalar field system. Moreover, the oscillation frequency exhibits a linear dependence on the gauge coupling constant of the scalar field with other parameters fixed. Meanwhile, the horizon radius of hairy black holes and the mass within the horizon increase monotonically with the gauge coupling constant. We have also identified a critical initial charge value that distinguishes hairy solutions that trigger black hole bombs from those that do not.

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arXiv2025

Non-linearly scalarized supermassive black holes

In this study, we investigate a nonlinear mechanism driving the formation of scalarized rotating black holes within a scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity framework that includes an additional squared Gauss-Bonnet term. With the specific coupling function, Kerr metric is a solution to this modified gravity. In linear level Kerr black holes are stable against the scalar perturbation, while nonlinearly they suffer the so-called ``nonlinear scalarization" and are unstable. By employing a pseudo-spectral method, we derive the spectrum of nonlinearly scalarized rotating black hole solutions, revealing multiple scalarized branches. Our analysis demonstrates that both the black hole's spin and the additional squared Gauss-Bonnet term significantly influence the existence and properties of these solutions. Furthermore, we explore the thermodynamic properties of nonlinearly scalarized rotating black holes, and find that the scalarized black holes are entropically favored over Kerr black holes of the same mass and spin across a wide range of parameters.

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arXiv2025

Rotating scalarized supermassive black holes

In this study, we investigate rotating black hole solutions within a scalar Gauss-Bonnet gravity framework that incorporates a squared Gauss-Bonnet term. By employing a quadratic exponential coupling function between the scalar field and the Gauss-Bonnet invariant, we derive both the standard General Relativity solutions and novel scalarized black hole configurations. Utilizing a pseudo spectral method to solve the coupled field equations, we examine how black hole spin and coupling constants influence the existence and properties of these solutions. Our findings reveal that both the rotation of the black hole and the squared coupling term effectively constrain the parameter space available for scalarization. Moreover, we demonstrate that, over a wide range of parameters, scalarized black holes exhibit higher entropy than Kerr black holes of equivalent mass and spin, indicating that they are thermodynamically favored. These results significantly expand the phase space of black holes in modified gravity theories.

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arXiv2025

Spontaneous Vectorization in the Einstein-Born-Infeld-Vector Model

We investigate spontaneous vectorization in the Einstein-Born-Infeld-Vector (EBIV) model, where a massless vector field is nonminimally coupled to a nonlinear Born-Infeld (BI) electromagnetic field. This coupling results in an effective mass for the vector field in a Born-Infeld black hole (BIBH) background, triggering tachyonic instability. We numerically construct and analyze such vectorized Born-Infeld black holes (VBIBHs), focusing on their domain of existence, thermodynamic properties, and energy distributions in both Reissner-Nordström (RN)-like and Schwarzschild-like backgrounds. In RN-like BI backgrounds, vectorized solutions emerge from the perturbative instability threshold and persist down to extremality, exhibiting higher entropy and lower free energy compared to their unvectorized counterparts. Conversely, in Schwarzschild-like backgrounds, VBIBHs show bifurcation behavior with two coexisting solution branches, only one of which is thermodynamically favored. We reveal a contrasting energy redistribution pattern between the internal and external fields in the two regimes, governed by the competition between the vector field and the nonlinear BI field. Our findings highlight the rich structure of spontaneous vectorization in nonlinear electrodynamics and provide novel insights into black hole physics beyond linear Maxwell theory.

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arXiv2025

Spontaneous Vectorization in the Einstein-Maxwell-Vector Model

We investigate spontaneous vectorization in the Einstein-Maxwell-Vector (EMV) model, introducing a novel mechanism driven by the interplay between electromagnetic and vector fields. A key innovation in our work is the resolution of an apparent divergence in the vector field near the event horizon, achieved by employing a generalized coordinate transformation. This not only extends the domain of existence for vectorized Reissner-Nordström black holes (VRNBHs), but also refines the theoretical understanding of such solutions. We introduce a new concept of combined charge $\sqrt{\tilde{Q}^2 + \tilde{P}^2}$, which better captures the underlying physics of these black holes and provides a unified framework for analyzing thermodynamics and observable phenomena such as light ring structures. Our findings suggest that VRNBHs exhibit enhanced thermodynamic preference and distinctive light ring properties compared to Reissner-Nordström solutions. Moreover, we demonstrate how this combined charge approach reveals connections to two-charge black hole solutions, offering promising avenues for observational verification within the context of effective field theories.

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arXiv2025

Extraction of energy from a black hole in Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory

Recently, it has been discovered that the nonlinear self-interaction of matter can induce energy extraction from black holes beyond superradiant instability. This process is closely associated with the occurrence of a dynamical first-order transition between different types of static black holes. To explore whether first-order phase transitions invariably lead to energy extraction, we have investigated the evolution of black holes in the Einstein-Maxwell-scalar model with a higher-order coupling. In this model, there are also dynamical first-order phase transitions between black hole solutions. Our findings indicate that energy can only be extracted from a small, stable hairy black hole in this model. However, this energy extraction is more closely related to the growth of the black hole horizon radius, rather than the dynamical transition between different types of black holes. This suggests that a dynamical first-order phase transition does not necessarily result in energy extraction.

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arXiv2025

Holographic Entanglement Entropy as a Probe of Dynamical Criticality in Scalarizing Black Holes

We demonstrate that holographic entanglement entropy (HEE) serves as a powerful diagnostic tool for both static and dynamical critical phenomena in the Einstein-Born-Infeld-Scalar (EBIS) model. While HEE is well-known for capturing static phase transitions, we reveal its novel ability to probe dynamical criticality, particularly the ''flip'' phenomenon-a sign inversion in the scalar field at a critical point. Near the flip, HEE exhibits relaxation dynamics that closely mirror those of the scalar field, with both relaxation times scaling logarithmically with the distance from the critical point. This intimate connection between the relaxation of HEE and the scalar field highlights HEE as a sensitive probe of dynamical critical phenomena. Our findings provide new insights into the interplay between quantum information and gravitational dynamics, offering a deeper understanding of critical behavior in strongly coupled systems.

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arXiv2024

Dynamics of spontaneous scalarization of black holes with nonlinear electromagnetic fields in anti-de Sitter spacetime

We investigate spontaneous scalarization in the Einstein-Born-Infeld-Scalar (EBIS) model with asymptotically AdS boundary conditions, revealing novel dynamical critical phenomena in black hole evolution. Through numerical analysis, we discover a distinctive ``flip" phenomenon where the scalar field exhibits critical transitions between different stable configurations. These transitions manifest in two forms: a single flip under variations in initial perturbation amplitude or scalar-electromagnetic coupling, and a double flip when varying black hole charge. Near critical points, the system displays universal relaxation behavior characterized by logarithmic scaling of relaxation time, $τ\propto \ln |p - p_s|$, where $p_s$ denotes the critical initial amplitude. We demonstrate that these transitions arise from the system's approach to unstable AdS-Born-Infeld black hole configurations, which serve as separatrices between distinct stable phases. The Born-Infeld parameter plays a crucial role in this dynamics, with scalar hair vanishing in the strong nonlinearity limit. These results reveal fundamental aspects of black hole phase transitions in theories with nonlinear electromagnetic couplings and provide new insights into critical phenomena in gravitational systems.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Nonlinear Evolution of unstable Charged de Sitter Black Holes with Hyperboloidal Formalism

Based on the hyperboloidal framework, we research the dynamical process of charged de Sitter black holes scattered by a charged scalar field. From the linear perturbation analysis, with the coupling strength within a critical interval, the charged scalar field with a superradiance frequency can induce the instability of the system. To reveal the real-time dynamics of such an instability, the nonlinear numerical simulation is implemented. The results show that the scalar field grows exponentially in the early stages and drastically extracts the charge from the black hole due to the superradiance, analogous to the charged black hole in a closed system. Differently, after saturation, the scalar field can not coexist with the central black hole stably and dissipates beyond the cosmological horizon slowly, leaving behind a bald black hole.

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arXiv2024

Nonlinear self-interaction induced black hole bomb

We present the first alternative mechanisms to trigger black hole bomb phenomena beyond the famous superradiant instability. By incorporating nonlinear self-interaction into the massive charged scalar field in general relativity, we discover that the allowed static solutions suggest two such novel dynamic mechanisms, which are further confirmed by our numerical simulations. The first one originates from the linearly unstable hairy black hole, but the bomb can be avoided by dialing the coefficient of the tiny scalar pulse. This distinguishes it from superradiant instability, where the bomb is an inevitable destiny. The second one is an intrinsically nonlinear process, which can even drive a linearly stable Reissner-Nordström black hole to become a black hole bomb by releasing substantial energy to develop scalar hair. This is also in sharp contrast with superradiant instability which can only drive an unstable black hole. These findings not only open up new avenues for black hole energy burst, but also have potential implications for new phenomena occurring around astrophysical black holes.

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arXiv2024

The rotating solutions beyond the spontaneous scalarization in Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory

The Einstein-Maxwell-scalar (EMS) theory with a quartic coupling function features three branches of fundamental black hole (BH) solutions, labeled as cold, hot, and bald black holes. The static bald black holes (the Reissner-Nordström BH) exhibit an intriguing nonlinear instability beyond the spontaneous scalarization. We study the rotating scalarized black hole solutions in the EMS model with a quartic coupling function through the spectral method numerically. The domain of existence for the scalarized BHs is presented in the spin-charge region. We found that the rotating solutions for both the two scalarized branches possess similar thermodynamic behavior compared to the static case while varying the electric charge. The BH spin enlarges the thermodynamic differences between the cold and hot branches. The profile of the metric function and the scalar field for the scalarized BHs is depicted, which demonstrates that the scalar field concentrates more on the equatorial plane in contrast to the axisymmetric region as the spin increases.

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arXiv2023

Mixed-State Entanglement and Transport in Einstein-Maxwell-Axion-Horndeski Theory

We present a comprehensive study exploring the relationship between transport properties and measures of quantum entanglement in the Einstein-Maxwell-Axion-Horndeski theory. By using holographic duality, we study the entanglement measures, holographic entanglement entropy (HEE) and entanglement wedge cross-section (EWCS), and transport coefficients, for this model and analyze their dependence on free parameters which we classify into action parameter, observable parameters and axion factor. We find contrasting behaviors between HEE and EWCS with respect to observable parameters (charge and temperature), and the axion factor, indicating that they capture different types of quantum correlations. We also find that HEE exhibits positive correlation with both charge and thermal excitations, whereas EWCS exhibits a negative correlation with charge-related conductivities and thermal fluctuations. Furthermore, we find that the Horndenski coupling term, as the modification to standard gravity theory, does not change the qualitative behaviors of the conductivities and the entanglement measures.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Critical scalarization and descalarization of black holes in a generalized scalar-tensor theory

We study the critical dynamics in the scalarization and descalarization in the fully nonlinear dynamical evolution in a general theory with scalar field coupling with both Gauss-Bonnet invariant and Ricci scalar. We explore how the Gauss-Bonnet term triggers the black hole scalarization. A typical type I critical phenomenon is observed, where an unstable critical solution emerges at the threshold and acts as an attractor in the dynamical scalarization. In the descalarization, a marginally stable attractor exists at the threshold of the first order phase transition in shedding off black hole hair. This is a new type I critical phenomenon in the black hole phase transition. Implications of these findings are discussed from the perspective of thermodynamic properties and perturbations for static solutions. We examine the effect of scalar-Ricci coupling on the hyperbolicity in the fully nonlinear evolution and find that such coupling can suppress the elliptic region and enlarge parameter space in computations.

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arXiv2023

Mixed-state Entanglement for AdS Born-Infeld Theory

We study the mixed-state entanglement for AdS Born-Infeld (BI) theory. We calculate the mixed-state entanglement and investigate the relationship between it and the system parameters. We find that the holographic entanglement entropy (HEE) and mutual information (MI) exhibit monotonically increasing and decreasing behavior with BI factor $b$. However, the entanglement wedge cross-section (EWCS) exhibits a very rich set of phenomena about system parameters. EWCS always increases with $b$ when $b$ is small and then monotonically decreases with $b$. These behaviors suggest that increasing the BI factor, which is essentially enhancing the coupling between the background geometry and the transport properties can always enhance the EWCS. The coupling between the entanglement and the transport behaviors has also been studied in condensed matter theories and is important to construct a stable quantum circuit. We also provide analytical understanding of the above phenomenon. Furthermore, we have tested two additional BI-like models and find the universality of these results, suggesting the crucial role of the BI term in governing the interplay between nonlinear electromagnetic effects and entanglement.

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Time evolution of Einstein-Maxwell-scalar black holes after a thermal quench

We employ the holographic quench technique to drive Einstein-Maxwell-scalar (EMs) black holes out of equilibrium and study the real-time dynamics therein. From the fully nonlinear dynamical simulations, a dynamically unstable Reissner-Nordstr$\ddot{\text{o}}$m anti-de Sitter (RN-AdS) black hole can be scalarized spontaneously after an arbitrarily small quench. On the other hand, a dynamically stable scalarized black hole can be descalarized after a quench of sufficient strength. Interestingly, on the way to descalarization, the scalarized black hole behaves like a holographic superfluid, undergoing a dynamical transition from oscillatory to non-oscillatory decay. Such behaviors are related to the spectrums of quasi-normal modes of scalarized black holes, where the dominant mode migrates toward the imaginary axis with increasing quench strength. In addition, due to the $\mathbb Z_{2}$-symmetry preserved by the model, the ground state is degenerate. We find that there exists a threshold for the quench strength that induces a dynamical transition of the gravitational system from one degenerate ground state to the other. Near the threshold, the gravitational system is attracted to an excited state, that is, a RN-AdS black hole with dynamical instability.

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