arXiv subjects

Johannes Knolle

Publications and source records attributed to Johannes Knolle.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2025

Quantum critical dynamical response of the twisted Kitaev spin chain

The dynamical structure factor of the transverse field Ising model (TFIM) shows universal power-law divergence at its quantum critical point, signatures of which have been arguably observed in inelastic neutron scattering studies of quantum spin chain materials, for example CoNb2O6. However, it has been recently suggested that its microscopic description is better captured in terms of a twisted Kitaev spin chain (TKSC) with bond-anisotropic couplings. Here, we present exact results for the dynamical structure factor of the TKSC across its quantum critical point, analyzing both the universal low-frequency response and the non-universal high-energy features. In addition, we explore extensions of the model including broken glide symmetry as well as the case of random, and incommensurate magnetic fields. Notably, in the latter case the fermionic excitations exhibit a localization-delocalization transition, which is manifest in the dynamical response as a distinct signature at finite frequency. We discuss the relevance of these features for the observation of quantum critical response in experiments.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Genuine topological Anderson insulator from impurity induced chirality reversal

We investigate a model of Dirac fermions with Haldane type mass impurities which open a global topological gap even in the dilute limit. Surprisingly, we find that the chirality of this mass term, i.e., the sign of the Chern number, can be reversed by tuning the magnitude of the single-impurity scattering. Consequently, the disorder induces a phase disconnected from the clean topological phase, i.e., a genuine topological Anderson insulator. In seeming contradiction to the expectation that mass disorder is an irrelevant perturbation to the clean integer quantum Hall transition, the tri-critical point separating these two Chern insulating phases and a thermal metal phase is located at zero impurity density and connected to the appearance of a zero energy bound state in the continuum corresponding to a divergent Haldane mass impurity. Our conclusions based on the T-matrix expansion are substantiated by large scale Chebyshev-Polynomial-Green-Function numerics. We discuss possible experimental platforms.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Ferrimagnetic Kitaev spin liquids in mixed spin 1/2 spin 3/2 honeycomb magnets

We explore the potential experimental realization of the mixed-spin Kitaev model in materials such as Zr$_{0.5}$Ru$_{0.5}$Cl$_3$, where spin-1/2 and spin-3/2 ions occupy distinct sublattices of a honeycomb lattice. By developing a superexchange theory specifically for this mixed-spin system, we identify the conditions under which dominant Kitaev-like interactions emerge. Focusing on the limiting case of pure Kitaev coupling with single-ion anisotropy, we employ a combination of superexchange theory, parton mean-field theory, and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations. We establish a comprehensive ground-state phase diagram identifying four distinct quantum spin liquid phases. Our findings highlight the importance of spin-orbital couplings and quadrupolar order parameters in stabilizing exotic phases, providing a foundation for exploring mixed-spin Kitaev magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

Prethermalization by Random Multipolar Driving on a 78-Qubit Superconducting Processor

Time-dependent drives hold the promise of realizing non-equilibrium many-body phenomena that are absent in undriven systems. Yet, drive-induced heating normally destabilizes the systems, which can be parametrically suppressed in the high-frequency regime by using periodic (Floquet) drives. It remains largely unknown to what extent highly controllable quantum simulators can suppress heating in non-periodically driven systems. Using the 78-qubit superconducting quantum processor, Chuang-tzu 2.0, we report the experimental observation of long-lived prethermal phases in many-body systems with tunable heating rates, driven by structured random protocols, characterized by $n$-multipolar temporal correlations. By measuring both the particle imbalance and subsystem entanglement entropy, we monitor the entire heating process over 1,000 driving cycles and observe the existence of the prethermal plateau. The prethermal lifetime is `doubly tunable': one way by driving frequency, the other by multipolar order; it grows algebraically with the frequency with the universal scaling exponent $2n{+}1$. Using quantum state tomography on different subsystems, we demonstrate a non-uniform spatial entanglement distribution and observe a crossover from area-law to volume-law entanglement scaling. With 78 qubits and 137 couplers in a 2D configuration, the entire far-from-equilibrium heating dynamics are beyond the reach of simulation using tensor-network numerical techniques. Our work highlights superconducting quantum processors as a powerful platform for exploring universal scaling laws and non-equilibrium phases of matter in driven systems in regimes where classical simulation faces formidable challenges.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Theory of Nonlinear Spectroscopy of Quantum Magnets

Two-dimensional coherent spectroscopy (2DCS) is an established method for characterizing molecules and has been proposed in the THz regime as a new tool for probing exotic excitations of quantum magnets; however, the precise nature of the coupling between pump field and spin degrees of freedom has remained unclear. Here, we develop a general response theory of 2DCS and show how magneto-electric as well as polarization couplings contribute to 2DCS in addition to the typically assumed magnetization. We propose experimental protocols to distill individual contributions, for instance from exchange-striction or spin current mechanism, when the electric field couples to terms quadratic in spin operators. We provide example calculations for the paradigmatic twisted Kitaev chain material $\mathrm{CoNb}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{6}$ and highlight the crucial role of contributions from cross-coupling between polarization and magnetic nonlinear susceptibilities. Our work paves the way for systematic studies of light-matter couplings in quantum magnets and for establishing 2DCS as a versatile tool for probing fractional excitations of exotic magnetic quantum phases.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2025

A Field Guide to non-Onsager Quantum Oscillations in Metals

Quantum oscillation (QO) measurements constitute a powerful method to measure the Fermi surface (FS) properties of metals. The observation of QOs is usually taken as strong evidence for the existence of extremal cross-sectional areas of the FS according to the famous Onsager relation. Here, we review mechanisms that generate QO frequencies that defy the Onsager relation and discuss material candidates. These include magnetic breakdown, magnetic interaction, chemical potential oscillations, and Stark quantum interference, most of which lead to signals occurring at combinations of ``parent'' Onsager frequencies. A special emphasis is put on the recently discovered mechanism of quasi-particle lifetime oscillations (QPLOs). We aim to provide a field guide that allows, on the one hand, to distinguish such non-Onsager QOs from conventional QOs arising from extremal cross sections and, on the other hand, to distinguish the various non-Onsager mechanisms from each other. We give a practical classification of non-Onsager QOs in terms of the prerequisites for their occurrence and their characteristics. We show that, in particular, the recently discovered QPLOs may pose significant challenges for the interpretation of QO spectra, as they may occur quite generically as frequency differences in multi-orbit systems, \emph{without} the necessity of visible ``parent'' frequencies in the spectrum, owing to a strongly suppressed temperature dephasing of QPLOs. We present an extensive list of material candidates where QPLOs may represent an alternative explanation for the observation of unexpected QO frequencies.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Realizing Altermagnetism in Fermi-Hubbard Models with Ultracold Atoms

Altermagnetism represents a type of collinear magnetism, that is in some aspects distinct from ferromagnetism and from conventional antiferromagnetism. In contrast to the latter, sublattices of opposite spin are related by spatial rotations and not only by translations and inversions. As a result, altermagnets have spin-split bands leading to unique experimental signatures. Here, we show theoretically how a d-wave altermagnetic phase can be realized with ultracold fermionic atoms in optical lattices. We propose an altermagnetic Hubbard model with anisotropic next-nearest neighbor hopping and obtain the Hartree-Fock phase diagram. The altermagnetic phase separates in a metallic and an insulating phase and is robust over a large parameter regime. We show that one of the defining characteristics of altermagnetism, the anisotropic spin transport, can be probed with trap-expansion experiments.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2024

Signatures of Domain-Wall Confinement in Raman Spectroscopy of Ising Spin Chains

Mesonic bound states of domain walls can be stabilized in quasi one-dimensional magnetic compounds. Here, we theoretically study the Raman light scattering response of a twisted Kitaev chain with tilted magnetic fields as a minimal model for confinement in $\mathrm{CoNb}_{2}\mathrm{O}_{6}$. By both numerical matrix product states and few-domain wall variational states, we show that confinement-induced bound states directly manifest themselves as sharp peaks in the Raman response. Remarkably, by tuning the polarization of the incident light field, we demonstrate that the Raman response offers new insights into the intrinsic symmetry of the bound state wavefunction.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Stability of algebraic spin liquids coupled to quantum phonons

Algebraic spin liquids are quantum disordered phases of insulating magnets which exhibit fractionalized gapless excitations and power-law correlations. Quantum spin liquids in this category include the experimentally established 1D Luttinger liquid, as well as the U(1) Dirac spin liquid (DSL) which has been a focus of recent candidate materials searches. Most notably, several exchange-frustrated Heisenberg materials on the triangular lattice have shown evidence of the U(1) DSL. In this work, we measure the algebraic correlations of spin-singlet excitations in the $J_1$-$J_2$ antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model on the triangular lattice, prompting a detailed investigation of this model's stability under spin-phonon coupling using variational Monte Carlo. As seen before in 1D spin chains, we observe a low-temperature transition from a U(1) DSL to valence bond order and predict the parameter regime where the model realizes a stable DSL ground state. To achieve this, we employ a series of finite-size scaling Ansätze inspired by the low-energy DSL's conformal description in terms of quantum electrodynamics, and show that emergent monopole operators drive the instability. We compare the physics of this transition to the 1D Luttinger liquid throughout our analysis. We derive the regime of stability against spin-Peierls ordering and argue that the DSL ground state might still be achievable in candidate materials, despite its tendency to valence bond solid ordering.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Disorder-Free Localization for Benchmarking Quantum Computers

Disorder-free localization (DFL) is a phenomenon as striking as it appears to be simple: a translationally invariant state evolving under a disorder-free Hamiltonian failing to thermalize. It is predicted to occur in a number of quantum systems exhibiting emergent or native \emph{local} symmetries. These include models of lattice gauge theories and, perhaps most simply, some two-component spin chains. Though well-established analytically for special soluble examples, numerical studies of generic systems have proven difficult. Moreover, the required local symmetries are a challenge for any experimental realization. Here, we show how a canonical model of DFL can be efficiently implemented on gate-based quantum computers, which relies on our efficient encoding of three-qubit gates. We show that the simultaneous observation of the absence of correlation spreading and tunable entanglement growth to a volume law provides an ideal testbed for benchmarking the capabilities of quantum computers. In particular, the availability of a soluble limit allows for a rigorous prediction of emergent localization length scales and tunable time scales for the volume law entanglement growth, which are ideal for testing capabilities of scalable quantum computers.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Anomalous quantum oscillations from boson-mediated interband scattering

Quantum oscillations (QO) in metals refer to the periodic variation of thermodynamic and transport properties as a function of inverse applied magnetic field. QO frequencies are normally associated with semi-classical trajectories of Fermi surface orbits but recent experiments challenge the canonical description. We develop a theory of composite frequency quantum oscillations (CFQO) in two-dimensional Fermi liquids with several Fermi surfaces and interband scattering mediated by a dynamical boson, e.g. phonons or spin fluctuations. Specifically, we show that CFQO arise from oscillations in the fermionic self-energy with anomalous frequency splitting and distinct strongly non-Lifshitz-Kosevich temperature dependencies. Our theory goes beyond the framework of semi-classical Fermi surface trajectories highlighting the role of many-body effects. We provide experimental predictions and discuss the effect of non-equilibrium boson occupation in driven systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Kinetic Ferromagnetism and Topological Magnons of the Hole-Doped Kitaev Spin Liquid

We study the effect of hole doping on the Kitaev spin liquid (KSL) and find that for ferromagnetic (FM) Kitaev exchange $K$ the system is very susceptible to the formation of a FM spin polarization. Through density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) simulations on finite systems, we uncover that the introduction of a single hole with a hopping strength of just $t\sim{}0.28K$ is enough to disrupt fractionalization and polarize the spins in the [001] direction due to an order-by-disorder mechanism. Taking into account a material relevant FM anisotropic spin exchange $\varGamma$ drives the polarization towards the [111] direction via a reorientation transition into a topological FM state with chiral magnon excitations. We develop a parton mean-field theory incorporating fermionic holons and bosonic spinons/magnons, which accounts for the doping induced FM phases and topological magnon excitations. We discuss experimental signatures and implications for Kitaev candidate materials.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Numerical Study of Quantum Oscillations of the Quasiparticle Lifetime: Impurity Spectroscopy, Novel Electric Field and Strain Effects

Quantum oscillation (QOs) measurements constitute one of the most powerful methods for determining the Fermi surface (FS) of metals, exploiting the famous Onsager relation between the FS area and the QO frequency. The recent observation of non-Onsager QOs with a frequency set by the difference of two FS orbits in a bulk three-dimensional metal can be understood as the QO of the quasiparticle lifetime (QPL) due to interorbital scattering [Huber, Leeb, {\it et al.}, Nature 621 (2023)]. QPL oscillations (QPLOs) generalize magneto-intersubband oscillations (MISOs) known from coupled two-dimensional metals. They may provide a novel tool for extracting otherwise hard-to-measure intra-versus interband scattering times of quasiparticles. Here, we provide a numerical lattice study of QPLOs comparing transport and thermodynamic observables. We explore the effect of different imperfections like general impurities, Hall effect-induced electric fields, various forms of strain from bending, and magnetic field inhomogeneities. We confirm the basic phenomenology of QPLOs as predicted in analytical calculations and identify additional novel, non-perturbative features. Remarkably, we find that some imperfections can stabilize, or even enhance, non-Onsager QPLOs in contrast to standard QO frequencies. We discuss various avenues for identifying QPLOs in experiments and how to use their dependence on imperfections to extract material properties.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Tunable band topology and optical conductivity in altermagnets

We study two-dimensional $d$-wave altermagnetic metals taking into account the presence of substrate-induced Rashba spin-orbit coupling. We consider the altermagnet bandstructure using a 2D band Hamiltonian near the $Γ$ point under external magnetic field. It is shown that time-reversal-symmetry breaking due to altermagnetism, together with Rashba coupling and external magnetic field, can result in non-trivial band topology. The topological phases can be tuned by magnetic field strength and directions, and are classified by their Chern numbers. Furthermore, we investigate the charge response by computing the full optical conductivity tensor with and without magnetic field. In particular, we focus on magneto-optical responses, which are the finite-frequency analog of the Berry curvature-induced anomalous Hall conductivity. Finally, using experimentally realistic parameters for RuO$_2$, we estimate the Faraday angle in the absence of magnetic fields.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Spin-Peierls instability of deconfined quantum critical points

Deconfined quantum critical points (DQCPs) are putative phase transitions beyond the Landau paradigm with emergent fractionalized degrees of freedom. The original example of a DQCP is the spin-1/2 quantum antiferromagnet on the square lattice which features a second order transition between valence bond solid (VBS) and Néel order. The VBS order breaks a lattice symmetry, and the corresponding VBS order parameter may couple to lattice distortion modes (phonons) at appropriate momenta. We investigate a field-theoretic description of the DQCP in the presence of such a spin-lattice coupling. We show that treating phonons as classical lattice distortions leads to a relevant monopole-phonon interaction inducing an instability towards a distorted lattice by an analogous mechanism to the spin-Peierls instability in one dimension. Consequently, there is a breakdown of the DQCP which generally becomes a strong first-order transition. Taking into account the full quantum nature of the phonons, we argue that the continuous DQCP persists above a critical phonon frequency. Lastly, we comment on the connection to general gapless, deconfined gauge theories.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Fractionalized Prethermalization in a Driven Quantum Spin Liquid

Quantum spin liquids subject to a periodic drive can display fascinating non-equilibrium heating behavior because of their emergent fractionalized quasi-particles. Here, we investigate a driven Kitaev honeycomb model and examine the dynamics of emergent Majorana matter and $Z_2$ flux excitations. We uncover a distinct two-step heating profile $\textrm{--}$ dubbed fractionalized prethermalization $\textrm{--}$ and a quasi-stationary state with vastly different temperatures for the matter and the flux sectors. We argue that this peculiar prethermalization behavior is a consequence of fractionalization. Furthermore, we discuss an experimentally feasible protocol for preparing a zero-flux initial state of the Kiteav honeycomb model with a low energy density, which can be used to observe fractionalized prethermalization in quantum information processing platforms.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Kitaev-Heisenberg model on the star lattice: From chiral Majorana fermions to chiral triplons

The interplay of frustrated interactions and lattice geometry can lead to a variety of exotic quantum phases. Here we unearth a particularly rich phase diagram of the Kitaev-Heisenberg model on the star lattice, a triangle decorated honeycomb lattice breaking sublattice symmetry. In the antiferromagnetic regime, the interplay of Heisenberg coupling and geometric frustration leads to the formation of valence bond solid (VBS) phases -- a singlet VBS and a bond selective triplet VBS stabilized by the Kitaev exchange. We show that the ratio of the Kitaev versus Heisenberg exchange tunes between these VBS phases and chiral quantum spin liquid regimes. Remarkably, the VBS phases host a whole variety of chiral triplon excitations with high Chern numbers in the presence of a weak magnetic field. We discuss our results in light of a recently synthesized star lattice material and other decorated lattice systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2024

Neural Wave Functions for Superfluids

Understanding superfluidity remains a major goal of condensed matter physics. Here we tackle this challenge utilizing the recently developed Fermionic neural network (FermiNet) wave function Ansatz [D. Pfau et al., Phys. Rev. Res. 2, 033429 (2020).] for variational Monte Carlo calculations. We study the unitary Fermi gas, a system with strong, short-range, two-body interactions known to possess a superfluid ground state but difficult to describe quantitatively. We demonstrate key limitations of the FermiNet Ansatz in studying the unitary Fermi gas and propose a simple modification based on the idea of an antisymmetric geminal power singlet (AGPs) wave function. The new AGPs FermiNet outperforms the original FermiNet significantly in paired systems, giving results which are more accurate than fixed-node diffusion Monte Carlo and are consistent with experiment. We prove mathematically that the new Ansatz, which only differs from the original Ansatz by the method of antisymmetrization, is a strict generalization of the original FermiNet architecture, despite the use of fewer parameters. Our approach shares several advantages with the original FermiNet: the use of a neural network removes the need for an underlying basis set; and the flexibility of the network yields extremely accurate results within a variational quantum Monte Carlo framework that provides access to unbiased estimates of arbitrary ground-state expectation values. We discuss how the method can be extended to study other superfluids.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗