arXiv subjects

Igor Boettcher

Publications and source records attributed to Igor Boettcher.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

Crystallography of Hyperbolic Lattices

Hyperbolic lattices are a revolutionary platform for tabletop simulations of holography and quantum physics in curved space and facilitate efficient quantum error correcting codes. Their underlying geometry is non-Euclidean, and the absence of Bloch's theorem precludes the straightforward application of the often indispensable energy band theory to study model Hamiltonians on hyperbolic lattices. Motivated by recent insights into hyperbolic band theory, we initiate a crystallography of hyperbolic lattices. We show that many hyperbolic lattices feature a hidden crystal structure characterized by unit cells, hyperbolic Bravais lattices, and associated symmetry groups. Using the mathematical framework of higher-genus Riemann surfaces and Fuchsian groups, we derive, for the first time, a list of example hyperbolic $\{p,q\}$ lattices and their hyperbolic Bravais lattices, including five infinite families and several graphs relevant for experiments in circuit quantum electrodynamics and topolectrical circuits. This dramatically simplifies the computation of energy spectra of tight-binding Hamiltonians on hyperbolic lattices, from exact diagonalization on the graph to solving a finite set of equations in terms of irreducible representations. The significance of this achievement needs to be compared to the all-important role played by conventional Euclidean crystallography in the study of solids. We exemplify the high potential of this approach by constructing and diagonalizing finite-dimensional Bloch wave Hamiltonians. Our work lays the foundation for generalizing some of the most powerful concepts of solid state physics, crystal momentum and Brillouin zone, to the emerging field of hyperbolic lattices and tabletop simulations of gravitational theories, and reveals the connections to concepts from topology and algebraic geometry.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics in Hyperbolic Space: From Photon Bound States to Frustrated Spin Models

Circuit quantum electrodynamics is one of the most promising platforms for efficient quantum simulation and computation. In recent groundbreaking experiments, the immense flexibility of superconducting microwave resonators was utilized to realize hyperbolic lattices that emulate quantum physics in negatively curved space. Here we investigate experimentally feasible settings in which a few superconducting qubits are coupled to a bath of photons evolving on the hyperbolic lattice. We compare our numerical results for finite lattices with analytical results for continuous hyperbolic space on the Poincaré disk. We find good agreement between the two descriptions in the long-wavelength regime. We show that photon-qubit bound states have a curvature-limited size. We propose to use a qubit as a local probe of the hyperbolic bath, for example by measuring the relaxation dynamics of the qubit. We find that, although the boundary effects strongly impact the photonic density of states, the spectral density is well described by the continuum theory. We show that interactions between qubits are mediated by photons propagating along geodesics. We demonstrate that the photonic bath can give rise to geometrically-frustrated hyperbolic quantum spin models with finite-range or exponentially-decaying interaction.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Protocols for estimating multiple functions with quantum sensor networks: geometry and performance

We consider the problem of estimating multiple analytic functions of a set of local parameters via qubit sensors in a quantum sensor network. To address this problem, we highlight a generalization of the sensor symmetric performance bounds of Rubio et. al. [J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. 53 344001 (2020)] and develop a new optimized sequential protocol for measuring such functions. We compare the performance of both approaches to one another and to local protocols that do not utilize quantum entanglement, emphasizing the geometric significance of the coefficient vectors of the measured functions in determining the best choice of measurement protocol. We show that, in many cases, especially for a large number of sensors, the optimized sequential protocol results in more accurate measurements than the other strategies. In addition, in contrast to the the sensor symmetric approach, the sequential protocol is known to always be explicitly implementable. The sequential protocol is very general and has a wide range of metrological applications.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Topological defect engineering and PT-symmetry in non-Hermitian electrical circuits

We employ electric circuit networks to study topological states of matter in non-Hermitian systems enriched by parity-time symmetry $\mathcal{PT}$ and chiral symmetry anti-$\mathcal{PT}$ ($\mathcal{APT}$). The topological structure manifests itself in the complex admittance bands which yields excellent measurability and signal to noise ratio. We analyze the impact of $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric gain and loss on localized edge and defect states in a non-Hermitian Su--Schrieffer--Heeger (SSH) circuit. We realize all three symmetry phases of the system, including the $\mathcal{APT}$ symmetric regime that occurs at large gain and loss. We measure the admittance spectrum and eigenstates for arbitrary boundary conditions, which allows us to resolve not only topological edge states, but also a novel $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric $\mathbb{Z}_2$ invariant of the bulk. We discover the distinct properties of topological edge states and defect states in the phase diagram. In the regime that is not $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric, the topological defect state disappears and only reemerges when $\mathcal{APT}$ symmetry is reached, while the topological edge states always prevail and only experience a shift in eigenvalue. Our findings unveil a future route for topological defect engineering and tuning in non-Hermitian systems of arbitrary dimension.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2020

Optimal Measurement of Field Properties with Quantum Sensor Networks

We consider a quantum sensor network of qubit sensors coupled to a field $f(\vec{x};\vecθ)$ analytically parameterized by the vector of parameters $\vecθ$. The qubit sensors are fixed at positions $\vec{x}_1,\dots,\vec{x}_d$. While the functional form of $f(\vec{x};\vecθ)$ is known, the parameters $\vecθ$ are not. We derive saturable bounds on the precision of measuring an arbitrary analytic function $q(\vecθ)$ of these parameters and construct the optimal protocols that achieve these bounds. Our results are obtained from a combination of techniques from quantum information theory and duality theorems for linear programming. They can be applied to many problems, including optimal placement of quantum sensors, field interpolation, and the measurement of functionals of parametrized fields.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Infrared fixed points of higher-spin fermions in topological semimetals

We determine the fate of interacting fermions described by the Hamiltonian $H=\textbf{p}\cdot \textbf{J}$ in three-dimensional topological semimetals with linear band crossing, where $\textbf{p}$ is momentum and $\textbf{J}$ are the spin-$j$ matrices for half-integer pseudospin $j\geq 3/2$. While weak short-range interactions are irrelevant at the crossing point due to the vanishing density of states, weak long-range Coulomb interactions lead to a renormalization of the band structure. Using a self-consistent perturbative renormalization group approach, we show that band crossings of the type $\textbf{p}\cdot \textbf{J}$ are unstable for $j\leq 7/2$. Instead, through an intriguing interplay between cubic crystal symmetry, band topology, and interaction effects, the system is attracted to a variety of infrared fixed points. We also unravel several other properties of higher-spin fermions for general $j$, such as the relation between fermion self-energy and free energy, or the vanishing of the renormalized charge. An $\text{O}(3)$ symmetric fixed point composed of equal chirality Weyl fermions is stable for $j\leq 7/2$ and very likely so for all $j$. We then explore the rich fixed point structure for $j=5/2$ in detail. We find additional attractive fixed points with enhanced $\text{O}(3)$ symmetry that host both emergent Weyl or massless Dirac fermions, and identify a puzzling, infrared stable, anisotropic fixed point without enhanced symmetry in close analogy to the known case of $j=3/2$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Quantum Simulation of Hyperbolic Space with Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics: From Graphs to Geometry

We show how quantum many-body systems on hyperbolic lattices with nearest-neighbor hopping and local interactions can be mapped onto quantum field theories in continuous negatively curved space. The underlying lattices have recently been realized experimentally with superconducting resonators and therefore allow for a table-top quantum simulation of quantum physics in curved background. Our mapping provides a computational tool to determine observables of the discrete system even for large lattices, where exact diagonalization fails. As an application and proof of principle we quantitatively reproduce the ground state energy, spectral gap, and correlation functions of the noninteracting lattice system by means of analytic formulas on the Poincaré disk, and show how conformal symmetry emerges for large lattices. This sets the stage for studying interactions and disorder on hyperbolic graphs in the future. Importantly, our analysis reveals that even relatively small discrete hyperbolic lattices emulate the continuous geometry of negatively curved space, and thus can be used to experimentally resolve fundamental open problems at the interface of interacting many-body systems, quantum field theory in curved space, and quantum gravity.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Critical Theory for the Breakdown of Photon Blockade

Photon blockade is the result of the interplay between the quantized nature of light and strong optical nonlinearities, whereby strong photon-photon repulsion prevents a quantum optical system from absorbing multiple photons. We theoretically study a single atom coupled to the light field, described by the resonantly driven Jaynes--Cummings model, in which case the photon blockade breaks down in a second order phase transition at a critical drive strength. We show that this transition is associated to the spontaneous breaking of an anti-unitary PT-symmetry. Within a semiclassical approximation we calculate the expectation values of observables in the steady state. We then move beyond the semiclassical approximation and approach the critical point from the disordered (blockaded) phase by reducing the Lindblad quantum master equation to a classical rate equation that we solve. The width of the steady-state distribution in Fock space is found to diverge as we approach the critical point with a simple power-law, allowing us to calculate the critical scaling of steady state observables without invoking mean-field theory. We propose a simple physical toy model for biased diffusion in the space of occupation numbers, which captures the universal properties of the steady state. We list several experimental platforms where this phenomenon may be observed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

d-wave superconductivity and Bogoliubov-Fermi surfaces in Rarita-Schwinger-Weyl semimetals

We uncover the properties of complex tensor (d-wave) superconducting order in three-dimensional Rarita-Schwinger-Weyl semimetals that host pseudospin-3/2 fermions at a fourfold linear band crossing point. Although the general theory of d-wave order was originally developed for materials displaying quadratic band touching, it directly applies to the case of semimetals with linear dispersion, several candidate compounds of which have been discovered experimentally very recently. The spin-3/2 nature of the fermions allows for the formation of spin-2 Cooper pairs which may be described by a complex second-rank tensor order parameter. In the case of linear dispersion, for the chemical potential at the Fermi point and at strong coupling, the energetically preferred superconducting state is the uniaxial nematic state, which preserves time-reversal symmetry and provides a full (anisotropic) gap for quasiparticle excitations. In contrast, at a finite chemical potential, we find that the usual weak-coupling instability is towards the "cyclic state", well known from the studies of multicomponent Bose-Einstein condensates, which breaks time reversal symmetry maximally, has vanishing average value of angular momentum, and features 16 small Bogoliubov--Fermi surfaces. The Rarita-Schwinger-Weyl semimetals provide therefore the first example of weakly coupled, three-dimensional, isotropic d-wave superconductors where the ground state is uniquely determined by the quartic expansion of the mean-field free energy, and not afflicted by the accidental degeneracy first noticed by Mermin over 40 years ago. We discuss the appearance and stability of the Bogoliubov-Fermi surfaces in absence of inversion symmetry in the electronic Hamiltonian, as in the case at hand.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2020

Interplay of topology and electron-electron interactions in Rarita-Schwinger-Weyl semimetals

We study for the first time the effects of strong short-range electron-electron interactions in generic Rarita--Schwinger--Weyl semimetals hosting spin-3/2 electrons with linear dispersion at a four-fold band crossing point. The emergence of this novel quasiparticle, which is absent in high-energy physics, has recently been confirmed experimentally in the solid state. We combine symmetry considerations and a perturbative renormalization group analysis to discern three interacting phases that are prone to emerge in the strongly correlated regime: The chiral topological semimetal breaks a $\mathbb{Z}_2$-symmetry and features four Weyl nodes of monopole charge +1 located at vertices of a tetrahedron in momentum space. The s-wave superconducting state opens a Majorana mass gap for the fermions and is the leading superconducting instability. The Weyl semimetal phase removes the fourfold degeneracy and creates two Weyl nodes with either equal or opposite chirality depending on the anisotropy of the band structure. We find that symmetry breaking occurs at weaker coupling if the total monopole charge remains constant across the transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2019

Ground state of the three-dimensional BCS d-wave superconductor

We determine the mean-field ground state of the three-dimensional rotationally symmetric d-wave ($\ell=2$) superconductor at weak coupling. It is a non-inert state, invariant under the symmetry $C_{2}$ only, which breaks time reversal symmetry almost maximally, and features a high, but again less than maximal average magnetization. The state obtained by minimization of the expanded sixth-order Ginzburg--Landau free energy is found to be an excellent approximation to the true ground state. The coupling to a parasitic s-wave component has only a minuscule quantitative and no qualitative effect on the ground state.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Optical response of Luttinger semimetals in the normal and superconducting states

We investigate the optical response properties of three-dimensional Luttinger semimetals with the Fermi energy close to a quadratic band touching point. In particular, in order to address recent experiments on the spectroscopy of Pyrochlore Iridates and half-Heusler superconductors, we derive expressions for the optical conductivity in both the normal and general superconducting states in the linear response regime within the random phase approximation. The response functions can be decomposed into contributions from intraband and interband transitions, the latter comprising a genuine signature of the quadratic band touching point. We demonstrate the importance of interband transitions in the optical response in the normal state both in the homogeneous and quasi-static limit. Our analysis reveals a factorization property of the homogeneous conductivity in the spatially anisotropic case and the divergence of the conductivity for strong spatial anisotropy. In the quasi-static limit, the response is dominated by interband transitions and significantly different from systems with a single parabolic band. As an applications of the formalism in the superconducting state we compute the optical conductivity and superfluid density for the s-wave singlet superconducting case for both finite and vanishing chemical potential.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Critical phenomena at the complex tensor ordering phase transition

We investigate the critical properties of the phase transition towards complex tensor order that has been proposed to occur in spin-orbit coupled superconductors. For this purpose we formulate the bosonic field theory for fluctuations of the complex irreducible second-rank tensor order parameter close to the transition. We then determine the scale dependence of the couplings of the theory by means of the perturbative Renormalization Group (RG). For the isotropic system we generically detect a fluctuation-induced first-order phase transition. The initial values for the running couplings are determined by the underlying microscopic model for the tensorial order. As an example we study three-dimensional Luttinger semimetals with electrons at a quadratic band touching point. Whereas the strong-coupling transition of the model receives substantial fluctuation corrections, the weak-coupling transition at low temperatures is rendered only weakly first-order due to the presence of a fixed point in the vicinity of the RG trajectory. If the number of fluctuating complex components of the order parameter is reduced by cubic anisotropy, the theory maps onto the field theory for frustrated magnetism.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Unconventional Superconductivity in Luttinger Semimetals: Theory of Complex Tensor Order and the Emergence of the Uniaxial Nematic State

We investigate unconventional superconductivity in three-dimensional electronic systems with the chemical potential close to a quadratic band touching point in the band dispersion. Short-range interactions can lead to d-wave superconductivity, described by a complex tensor order parameter. We elucidate the general structure of the corresponding Ginzburg--Landau free energy and apply these concepts to the case of an isotropic band touching point. For vanishing chemical potential, the ground state of the system is given by the superconductor analogue of the uniaxial nematic state, which features line nodes in the excitation spectrum of quasiparticles. In contrast to the theory of real tensor order in liquid crystals, however, the ground state is selected here by the sextic terms in the free energy. At finite chemical potential, the nematic state has an additional instability at weak coupling and low temperatures. In particular, the one-loop coefficients in the free energy indicate that at weak coupling genuinely complex orders, which break time-reversal symmetry, are energetically favored. We relate our analysis to recent measurements in the half-Heusler compound YPtBi and discuss the role of the cubic crystal symmetry.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

High temperature pairing in a strongly interacting two-dimensional Fermi gas

We observe many-body pairing in a two-dimensional gas of ultracold fermionic atoms at temperatures far above the critical temperature for superfluidity. For this, we use spatially resolved radio-frequency spectroscopy to measure pairing energies spanning a wide range of temperatures and interaction strengths. In the strongly interacting regime where the scattering length between fermions is on the same order as the inter-particle spacing, the pairing energy in the normal phase significantly exceeds the intrinsic two-body binding energy of the system and shows a clear dependence on local density. This implies that pairing in this regime is driven by many-body correlations, rather than two-body physics. We find this effect to persist at temperatures close to the Fermi temperature which demonstrates that pairing correlations in strongly interacting two-dimensional fermionic systems are remarkably robust against thermal fluctuations.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2017

Anisotropy induces non-Fermi-liquid behavior and nematic magnetic order in three-dimensional Luttinger semimetals

We illuminate the intriguing role played by spatial anisotropy in three-dimensional Luttinger semimetals featuring quadratic band touching and long-range Coulomb interactions. We observe the anisotropy to be subject to an exceptionally slow renormalization group (RG) evolution so that it can be considered approximately constant when computing the impact of quantum fluctuations on the remaining couplings of the system. Using perturbative RG we then study the competition of all local short-range interactions that are generated from the long-range interactions for fixed anisotropy. Two main effects come to light for sufficiently strong anisotropy. First, the three-dimensional system features an Abrikosov non-Fermi liquid ground state. Second, there appear qualitatively new fixed points which describe quantum phase transitions into phases with nemagnetic orders - higher-rank tensor orders that break time-reversal symmetry, and thus have both nematic and magnetic character. In real materials these phases may be realized through sufficiently strong microscopic short-range interactions. On the pyrochlore lattice, the anisotropy-induced fixed points determine the onset of all-in-all-out or spin ice ordering of local magnetic moments of the electrons.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Dimensional crossover of nonrelativistic bosons

We investigate how confining a transverse spatial dimension influences the few- and many-body properties of non-relativistic bosons with pointlike interactions. Our main focus is on the dimensional crossover from three to two dimensions, which is of relevance for ultracold atom experiments. Using Functional Renormalization Group equations and T-matrix calculations we study how the phase transition temperature changes as a function of the spatial extent of the transverse dimension and relate the 3D and 2D s-wave scattering lengths. The analysis reveals how the properties of the lower-dimensional system are inherited from the higher-dimensional one during the renormalization group evolution. We limit the discussion to confinements in a potential well with periodic boundary conditions and argue why this qualitatively captures the physics of other compactifications such as transverse harmonic confinement as in cold atom experiments.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2016

Quasi-long-range order in trapped two-dimensional Bose gases

We study the fate of algebraic decay of correlations in a harmonically trapped two-dimensional degenerate Bose gas. The analysis is inspired by recent experiments on ultracold atoms where power-law correlations have been observed despite the presence of the external potential. We generalize the spin wave description of phase fluctuations to the trapped case and obtain an analytical expression for the one-body density matrix within this approximation. We show that algebraic decay of the central correlation function persists to lengths of about 20% of the Thomas--Fermi radius. We establish that the trap-averaged correlation function decays algebraically with a strictly larger exponent weakly changing with trap size and find indications that the recently observed enhanced scaling exponents receive significant contributions from the normal component of the gas. We discuss radial and angular correlations and propose a local correlation approximation which captures the correlations very well. Our analysis goes beyond the usual local density approximation and the developed summation techniques constitute a powerful tool to investigate correlations in inhomogeneous systems.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗