arXiv subjects

I. P. McCulloch

Publications and source records attributed to I. P. McCulloch.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Sudden expansion of Mott insulators in one dimension

We investigate the expansion of bosons and fermions in a homogeneous lattice after a sudden removal of the trapping potential using exact numerical methods. As a main result, we show that in one dimension, both bosonic and fermionic Mott insulators expand with the same velocity, irrespective of the interaction strength, provided the expansion starts from the ground state of the trapped gas. Furthermore, their density profiles become identical during the expansion: The asymptotic density dynamics is identical to that of initially localized, non-interacting particles, and the asymptotic velocity distribution is flat. The expansion velocity for initial correlated Mott insulating states is therefore independent of the interaction strength and particle statistics. Interestingly, this non-equilibrium dynamics is sensitive to the interaction driven quantum phase transition in the Bose-Hubbard model: While being constant in the Mott phase, the expansion velocity decreases in the superfluid phase and vanishes for large systems in the non-interacting limit. These results are compared to the set-up of a recent experiment [PRL 110, 205301 (2013)], where the trap opening was combined with an interaction quench from infinitely strong interactions to finite values. We carry out an analogous analysis for a two-component Fermi gas, with similar observations. In addition, we study the effect of breaking the integrability of hard-core bosons in different ways: While the fast ballistic expansion from the ground state of Mott insulators in one dimension remains unchanged for finite interactions, we observe strong deviations from this behavior on a two-leg ladder even in the hard-core case. This change in dynamics bares similarities with the dynamics in the dimensional crossover from one to two dimensions observed in the aformentioned experimental study.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Entanglement entropy scaling of the XXZ chain

We study the entanglement entropy scaling of the XXZ chain. While in the critical XY phase of the XXZ chain the entanglement entropy scales logarithmically with a coefficient that is determined by the associated conformal field theory, at the ferromagnetic point, however, the system is not conformally invariant yet the entanglement entropy still scales logarithmically albeit with a different coefficient. We investigate how such an nontrivial scaling at the ferromagnetic point influences the estimation of the central charge $c$ in the critical XY phase. In particular we use the entanglement scaling of the finite or infinite system, as well as the finite-size scaling of the ground state energy to estimate the value of $c$. In addition, the spin-wave velocity and the scaling dimension are also estimated. We show that in all methods the evaluations are influenced by the nearby ferromagnetic point and result in crossover behavior. Finally we discuss how to determine whether the central charge estimation is strongly influenced by the crossover behavior and how to properly evaluate the central charge.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Deterministic Many-Resonator W Entanglement of Nearly Arbitrary Microwave States via Attractive Bose-Hubbard Simulation

Multipartite entanglement of large numbers of physically distinct linear resonators is of both fundamental and applied interest, but there have been no feasible proposals to date for achieving it. At the same time, the Bose-Hubbard model with attractive interactions (ABH) is theoretically known to have a phase transition from the superfluid phase to a highly entangled nonlocal superposition, but observation of this phase transition has remained out of experimental reach. In this theoretical work, we jointly address these two problems by (1) proposing an experimentally accessible quantum simulation of the ABH phase transition in an array of tunably coupled superconducting circuit microwave resonators and (2) incorporating the simulation into a highly scalable protocol that takes as input any microwave resonator state with negligible occupation of number states |0> and |1> and nonlocally superposes it across the whole array of resonators. The large-scale multipartite entanglement produced by the protocol is of the W-type, which is well-known for its robustness. The protocol utilizes the ABH phase transition to generate the multipartite entanglement of all of the resonators in parallel, and is therefore deterministic and permits an increase in resonator number without increase in protocol complexity; the number of resonators is limited instead by system characteristics such as resonator frequency disorder and inter-resonator coupling strength. Only one local and two global controls are required for the protocol. We numerically demonstrate the protocol with realistic system parameters, and estimate that current experimental capabilities can realize the protocol with high fidelity for greater than 40 resonators.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Double zigzag spin chain in strong magnetic field close to saturation

We study the ground state phase diagram of a frustrated spin tube in a strong external magnetic field. This model can be viewed as two coupled zigzag spin chains, or as a two-leg spin ladder with frustrating next-nearest-neighbor couplings along the legs, and its study is motivated by the physics of such materials as Sulfolane-Cu_{2}Cl_{4} and BiCu_{2}PO_{6}. In magnetic fields right below the saturation, the system can be effectively represented as a dilute gas of two species of bosonic quasiparticles that correspond to magnons with inequivalent incommensurate momenta at two degenerate minima of the magnon dispersion. Using the method previously proposed and tested for frustrated spin chains, we calculate effective interactions in this two-component Bose gas. On this basis, we establish the phase diagram of nearly-saturated frustrated spin tube, which is shown to include the two-component Luttinger liquid, two types of vector chiral phases, and phases whose physics is determined by the presence of bound magnons. We study the phase diagram of the model numerically by means of the density matrix renormalization group technique, and find a good agreement with our analytical predictions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2013

Non-locally entangled microwave and micromechanical squeezed cats: a phase transition-based protocol

Electromechanical systems currently offer a path to engineering quantum states of microwave and micromechanical modes that are of both fundamental and applied interest. Particularly desirable, but not yet observed, are mechanical states that exhibit entanglement, wherein non-classical correlations exist between distinct modes; squeezing, wherein the quantum uncertainty of an observable quantity is reduced below the standard quantum limit; and Schrödinger cats, wherein a single mode is cast in a quantum superposition of macroscopically distinct classical states. Also, while most investigations of electromechanical systems have focussed on single- or few-body scenarios, the many-body regime remains virtually unexplored. In such a regime quantum phase transitions naturally present themselves as a resource for quantum state generation, thereby providing a route toward entangling a large number of electromechanical systems in highly non-classical states. Here we show how to use existing superconducting circuit technology to implement a (quasi) quantum phase transition in an array of electromechanical systems such that entanglement, squeezing, and Schrödinger cats become simultaneously observable across multiple microwave and micromechanical oscillators.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Lanczos algorithm with Matrix Product States for dynamical correlation functions

The density-matrix renormalization group (DMRG) algorithm can be adapted to the calculation of dynamical correlation functions in various ways which all represent compromises between computational efficiency and physical accuracy. In this paper we reconsider the oldest approach based on a suitable Lanczos-generated approximate basis and implement it using matrix product states (MPS) for the representation of the basis states. The direct use of matrix product states combined with an ex-post reorthogonalization method allows to avoid several shortcomings of the original approach, namely the multi-targeting and the approximate representation of the Hamiltonian inherent in earlier Lanczos-method implementations in the DMRG framework, and to deal with the ghost problem of Lanczos methods, leading to a much better convergence of the spectral weights and poles. We present results for the dynamic spin structure factor of the spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg chain. A comparison to Bethe ansatz results in the thermodynamic limit reveals that the MPS-based Lanczos approach is much more accurate than earlier approaches at minor additional numerical cost.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Long-time behavior of the momentum distribution during the sudden expansion of a spin-imbalanced Fermi gas in one dimension

We study the sudden expansion of spin-imbalanced ultracold lattice fermions with attractive interactions in one dimension after turning off the longitudinal confining potential. We show that the momentum distribution functions of majority and minority fermions approach stationary values quickly due to a quantum distillation mechanism that results in a spatial separation of pairs and majority fermions. As a consequence, Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) correlations are lost during the expansion. Furthermore, we argue that the shape of the stationary momentum distribution functions can be understood by relating them to the integrals of motion in this integrable quantum system. We discuss our results in the context of proposals to observe FFLO correlations, related to recent experiments by Liao et al., Nature 467, 567 (2010).

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Expansion velocity of a one-dimensional, two-component Fermi gas during the sudden expansion in the ballistic regime

We show that in the sudden expansion of a spin-balanced two-component Fermi gas into an empty optical lattice induced by releasing particles from a trap, over a wide parameter regime, the radius $R_n$ of the particle cloud grows linearly in time. This allow us to define the expansion velocity $V_{ex}$ from $R_n=V_{ex}t$. The goal of this work is to clarify the dependence of the expansion velocity on the initial conditions which we establish from time-dependent density matrix renormalization group simulations, both for a box trap and a harmonic trap. As a prominent result, the presence of a Mott-insulating region leaves clear fingerprints in the expansion velocity. Our predictions can be verified in experiments with ultra-cold atoms.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Ground state properties of antiferromagnetic anisotropic S=1 Heisenberg spin chains

Using (infinite) density matrix renormalization group techniques, ground state properties of antiferromagnetic S=1 Heisenberg spin chains with exchange and single-site anisotropies in an external field are studied. The phase diagram is known to display a plenitude of interesting phases. We elucidate quantum phase transitions between the supersolid and spin-liquid as well as the spin-liquid and the ferromagnetic phases. Analyzing spin correlation functions in the spin-liquid phase, commensurate and (two distinct) incommensurate regions are identified.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2011

Coherent spin-current oscillations in transverse magnetic fields

We address the coherence of the dynamics of spin-currents with components transverse to an external magnetic field for the spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain. We study current autocorrelations at finite temperatures and the real-time dynamics of currents at zero temperature. Besides a coherent Larmor oscillation, we find an additional collective oscillation at higher frequencies, emerging as a coherent many-magnon effect at low temperatures. Using numerical and analytical methods, we analyze the oscillation frequency and decay time of this coherent current-mode versus temperature and magnetic field.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Dimerized and trimerized phases for spin-2 Bosons in a one-dimensional optical lattice

We study the phase diagram for spin-2 bosons loaded in a one-dimensional optical lattice. By using non-Abelian density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method we identify three possible phases: ferromagnetic, dimerized, and trimerized phases. We sketch the phase boundaries based on DMRG. We illustrate two methods for identifying the phases. The first method is based on the spin-spin correlation function while in the second method one observes the excitation gap as a dimerization or a trimerization superlattice is imposed. The advantage of the second method is that it can also be easily implemented in experiments. By using the scattering lengths in the literature we estimate that $^{83}$Rb, $^{23}$Na, and $^{87}$Rb be ferromagnetic, dimerized, and trimerized respectively.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2010

Quantum criticality in the SO(5) bilinear-biquadratic Heisenberg chain

The zero-temperature properties of the SO(5) bilinear-biquadratic Heisenberg spin chain are investigated by means of a low-energy approach and large scale numerical calculations. In sharp contrast to the spin-1 SO(3) Heisenberg chain, we show that the SO(5) Heisenberg spin chain is dimerized with a two-fold degenerate ground state. On top of this gapful phase, we find the emergence of a non-degenerate gapped phase with hidden (Z$_2$ $\times$ Z$_2$)$^2$ symmetry and spin-3/2 edge states that can be understood from a SO(5) AKLT wave function. We derive a low-energy theory describing the quantum critical point which separates these two gapped phases. It is shown and confirmed numerically that this quantum critical point belongs to the SO(5)$_1$ universality class.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Schur Forms of Matrix Product Operators in the Infinite Limit

Matrix Product State (MPS) wavefunctions have many applications in quantum information and condensed matter physics. One application is to represent states in the thermodynamic limit directly, using a small set of position independent matrices. For this infinite MPS ansatz to be useful it is necessary to be able to calculate expectation values, and we show here that a large class of observables, including operators transforming under lattice translations as eigenstates of arbitrary momentum $k$, can be represented in the Schur form of a lower or upper triangular matrix and we present an algorithm for evaluating such expectation values in the asymptotic limit. The sum or the product of two such Schur operators is also a Schur operator, and is easily constructed to give a simple method of constructing arbitrary polynomial combinations of operators. Some simple examples are the variance $\langle (H-E)^2\rangle$ of an infinite MPS, which gives a simple method of evaluating the accuracy of a numerical approximation to a eigenstate, or a vertex operator $\langle c^\dagger_{k_1} c^\dagger_{k_2} c_{k_4} c_{k_3}\rangle$. This approach is a step towards improved algorithms for the calculation of dynamical properties and excited states.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Probing local relaxation of cold atoms in optical superlattices

In the study of relaxation processes in coherent non-equilibrium dynamics of quenched quantum systems, ultracold atoms in optical superlattices with periodicity two provide a very fruitful test ground. In this work, we consider the dynamics of a particular, experimentally accessible initial state prepared in a superlattice structure evolving under a Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian in the entire range of interaction strengths, further investigating the issues raised in Ref. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 063001 (2008)]. We investigate the relaxation dynamics analytically in the non interacting and hard core bosonic limits, deriving explicit expressions for the dynamics of certain correlation functions, and numerically for finite interaction strengths using the time-dependent density-matrix renormalization (t-DMRG) approach. We can identify signatures of local relaxation that can be accessed experimentally with present technology. While the global system preserves the information about the initial condition, locally the system relaxes to the state having maximum entropy respecting the constraints of the initial condition. For finite interaction strengths and finite times, the relaxation dynamics contains signatures of the relaxation dynamics of both the non-interacting and hard core bosonic limits.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2009

Boundary quantum critical phenomena with entanglement renormalization

We extend the formalism of entanglement renormalization to the study of boundary critical phenomena. The multi-scale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA), in its scale invariant version, offers a very compact approximation to quantum critical ground states. Here we show that, by adding a boundary to the scale invariant MERA, an accurate approximation to the critical ground state of an infinite chain with a boundary is obtained, from which one can extract boundary scaling operators and their scaling dimensions. Our construction, valid for arbitrary critical systems, produces an effective chain with explicit separation of energy scales that relates to Wilson's RG formulation of the Kondo problem. We test the approach by studying the quantum critical Ising model with free and fixed boundary conditions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Phase diagram of an anisotropic frustrated ferromagnetic spin-1/2 chain in a magnetic field: a density matrix renormalization group study

We study the phase diagram of a frustrated spin-1/2 ferromagnetic chain with anisotropic exchange interactions in an external magnetic field, using the density matrix renormalization group method. We show that an easy-axis anisotropy enhances the tendency towards multimagnon bound states, while an easy-plane anisotropy favors chirally ordered phases. In particular, a moderate easy-plane anisotropy gives rise to a quantum phase transition at intermediate magnetization. We argue that this transition is related to the finite-field phase transition experimentally observed in the spin-1/2 compound LiCuVO_4.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Classical and quantum anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnets

We study classical and quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnets with exchange anisotropy of XXZ-type and crystal field single-ion terms of quadratic and cubic form in a field. The magnets display a variety of phases, including the spin-flop (or, in the quantum case, spin-liquid) and biconical (corresponding, in the quantum lattice gas description, to supersolid) phases. Applying ground-state considerations, Monte Carlo and density matrix renormalization group methods, the impact of quantum effects and lattice dimension is analysed. Interesting critical and multicritical behaviour may occur at quantum and thermal phase transitions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2009

A real-time study of diffusive and ballistic transport in spin-1/2 chains using the adaptive time-dependent density matrix renormalization group method

Using the adaptive time-dependent density matrix renormalization group method, we numerically study the spin dynamics and transport in one-dimensional spin-1/2 systems at zero temperature. Instead of computing transport coefficients from linear response theory, we study the real-time evolution of the magnetization starting from spatially inhomogeneous initial states. In particular, we are able to analyze systems far away from equilibrium with this set-up. By computing the time-dependence of the variance of the magnetization, we can distinguish diffusive from ballistic regimes, depending on model parameters. For the example of the anisotropic spin-1/2 chain and at half filling, we find the expected ballistic behavior in the easy-plane phase, while in the massive regime the dynamics of the magnetization is diffusive. Our approach allows us to tune the deviation of the initial state from the ground state and the qualitative behavior of the dynamics turns out to be valid even for highly perturbed initial states in the case of easy-plane exchange anisotropies. We further cover two examples of nonintegrable models, the frustrated chain and the two-leg spin ladder, and we encounter diffusive transport in all massive phases. In the former system, our results indicate ballistic behavior in the critical phase. We discuss our findings in view of experiments on quasi-one dimensional quantum magnets and we propose that the study of the time-dependence of the spatial variance of particle densities could be instrumental in the characterization of the expansion of ultracold atoms in optical lattices as well.

cond-mat.str-el↗