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Kirill Shtengel

Publications and source records attributed to Kirill Shtengel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Thermal Order by Disorder in Resonating-Valence Bond States on the Checkerboard Lattice

We derive a local spin-1/2 Hamiltonian with a resonating valence bond ground state on the checkerboard lattice. The state is characterized by the exponential decay of singlet-singlet correlations, whereas dimer-dimer correlations decay with a power law in the corresponding Quantum Dimer model. This observation leads to a novel mechanism for thermal Order by Disorder whereby thermal decoherence suppresses destructive quantum interference between different contributions to the correlations in the ground state and results in a qualitatively different, quasi-long-range ordered mixed state.

cond-mat.str-el

Microscopic Spin-1 Parent Hamiltonians for Emergent Valence-Bond Loop Manifolds

We construct an exact spin-$1$ parent Hamiltonian for constrained valence-bond loop manifolds on the checkerboard and pyrochlore lattices. The Hamiltonian is local, SU(2)- and time-reversal-invariant, and built from positive-semidefinite projectors acting on triangular faces. Each projector removes only the maximally polarized state of a triangle, so the model is frustration-free. Its zero-energy states are generated by an AKLT-like construction in which each spin-$1$ moment is resolved into two virtual spin-$\tfrac12$ degrees of freedom, singlets are formed inside every crossed plaquette or tetrahedron, and the physical spin-$1$ Hilbert space is recovered by projection. The resulting ground states are fully packed singlet-loop states on the corner-sharing lattice. Thus, a loop or dimer constraint, usually introduced as part of an effective Rokhsar--Kivelson description, appears here as the exact zero-energy manifold of a microscopic spin Hamiltonian. We analyze spin correlations within this manifold and show that, for a fixed loop covering, they are determined by loop connectivity. We also project symmetry-allowed perturbations into the ground-state manifold and derive the resulting low-energy pseudospin dynamics. The checkerboard and pyrochlore cases differ sharply. On the pyrochlore lattice, tetrahedral symmetry removes simple local bias terms, and the leading nontrivial next-nearest-neighbour Heisenberg perturbation gives an emergent spin-$\tfrac12$ XY model on the diamond lattice of tetrahedron centers. These results give an exact spin-$1$ microscopic starting point for constrained valence-bond physics in two and three dimensions, and show how loop, dimer, and gauge-theoretic descriptions can be approached from a small-spin, SU(2)-invariant frustrated magnet.

cond-mat.str-el

Percolation of Zero-Weight Paths and the Shape of the Phase Boundary in the Two-Dimensional Random-Bond Ising Model

We explore the connection between the low-temperature boundary of the ferromagnetic phase in the two-dimensional $\pm J$ random-bond Ising model, where antiferromagnetic bonds occur with probability $p$ and a geometric transition dubbed ``zero-weight percolation''. We argue that the onset of this percolation characterized by the emergence of a percolating path containing an equal number of $+J$ and $-J$ bonds is incompatible with ferromagnetic ordering. Due to its purely geometrical nature, this percolation criterion is a property of a disorder realization and is independent of the temperature, which in turn suggests that the ferromagnetic phase boundary is vertical below the Nishimori point in the $(p,T)$ plane. Using a dynamic-programming algorithm combined with finite-size scaling, we identify the critical disorder at which zero-weight paths first percolate as $p_c = 0.1000(2)$, and we extract the associated critical exponents $ν= 1.26(1)$, $β/ν= 0.85(1)$, $γ/ν= 0.264(5)$, and fractal dimension $d_f \approx 1.11$. The value of $p_c$ is below the previously reported values of the critical disorder strength corresponding to the loss of the ferromagnetic order, both at zero temperature and the Nishimori point. Nevertheless, we argue that the percolation transition studied in this paper is behind the loss of ferromagnetism and thus provides a new, purely geometrical perspective on the stability of ferromagnetic order in disordered spin systems.

cond-mat.dis-nn

Quantum Spin Singlet and Classical Néel-Ordered Ground States in MoX3 (X = I, Br) Spin-3/2 Dimerized Antiferromagnetic Chain Crystals

We report that MoX3 (X = I, Br) are rare van der Waals materials that exhibit signatures of both quantum spin chains with a spin singlet ground state and classical Neel order. Bulk single crystals grown by chemical vapor transport exhibit classical antiferromagnetic ground states with a transition temperature of ~40 K as revealed by susceptibility and specific heat measurements. Above 40 K, the susceptibilities show the large, broad peaks associated with a quantum spin-singlet ground state and large singlet-triplet gaps of 21 meV and 25 meV. Monte Carlo simulations, density matrix renormalization-group calculations for finite spin-3/2 chains, and density functional theory reproduce the experimental behavior, confirming the interplay between strong one-dimensional intrachain and weak three-dimensional interchain couplings. MoX3 offers a unique platform for exploring quantum magnetism and magnetic excitations at the atomic chain limit, as these materials combine a 1D van der Waals motif, spin chain behavior, and classical interchain order.

cond-mat.str-el

Simulating 2D topological quantum phase transitions on a digital quantum computer

Efficient preparation of many-body ground states is key to harnessing the power of quantum computers in studying quantum many-body systems. In this work, we propose a simple method to design exact linear-depth parameterized quantum circuits which prepare a family of ground states across topological quantum phase transitions in 2D. We achieve this by constructing ground states represented by isometric tensor networks (isoTNS), which form a subclass of tensor network states that are efficiently preparable. By continuously tuning a parameter in the wavefunction, the many-body ground state undergoes quantum phase transitions, exhibiting distinct 2D quantum phases. We illustrate this by constructing an isoTNS path with bond dimension $D = 2$ interpolating between distinct symmetry-enriched topological (SET) phases. At the transition point, the wavefunction is related to a gapless point in the classical six-vertex model. Furthermore, the critical wavefunction supports a power-law correlation along one spatial direction while remaining long-range ordered in the other spatial direction. We provide an explicit parametrized local quantum circuit for the path and show that the 2D isoTNS can also be efficiently simulated by a holographic quantum algorithm requiring only an 1D array of qubits.

quant-ph

Methods for simulating string-net states and anyons on a digital quantum computer

Finding physical realizations of topologically ordered states in experimental settings, from condensed matter to artificial quantum systems, has been the main challenge en route to utilizing their unconventional properties. We show how to realize a large class of topologically ordered states and simulate their quasiparticle excitations on a digital quantum computer. To achieve this we design a set of linear-depth quantum circuits to generate ground states of general string-net models together with unitary open string operators to simulate the creation and braiding of abelian and non-abelian anyons. We show that the abelian (non-abelian) unitary string operators can be implemented with a constant (linear) depth quantum circuit. Our scheme allows us to directly probe characteristic topological properties, including topological entanglement entropy, braiding statistics, and fusion channels of anyons. Moreover, this set of efficiently prepared topologically ordered states has potential applications in the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers.

quant-ph

Order by disorder in classical kagome antiferromagnets with chiral interactions

The Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the kagome lattice is an archetypal instance of how large ground state degeneracies arise, and how they may get resolved by thermal and quantum fluctuations. Augmenting the Heisenberg model by chiral spin interactions has proved to be of particular interest in the discovery of certain chiral quantum spin liquids. Here we consider the classical variant of this chiral kagome model and find that it exhibits, similar to the classical Heisenberg antiferromagnet, a remarkably large and structured ground-state manifold, which combines continuous and discrete degrees of freedom. This allows for a rich set of order-by-disorder phenomena. Degeneracy lifting occurs in a highly selective way, choosing already at the harmonic level specific triaxial states which however retain an emergent $Z_2$ degree of freedom (absent in the conventional Heisenberg model). We also study the competition of entropic and energetic ground state selection as the model interpolates between the purely chiral and Heisenberg cases. For this mixed model, we find a "proximate ordered-by-disorder" finite-temperature regime where fluctuations overcome the energetic ground state preference of the perturbation. Finally, a semiclassical route to a spin liquid is provided by quantum order by disorder in the purely chiral models, where the aforementioned $Z_2$ degrees of freedom are elevated to the role of an emergent gauge field.

cond-mat.str-el

Helical superconducting edge modes from pseudo-Landau levels in graphene

We explore Andreev states at the interface of graphene and a superconductor for a uniform pseudo-magnetic field. Near the zeroth-pseudo Landau level, we find a topological transition as a function of applied Zeeman field, at which a gapless helical mode appears. This 1D mode is protected from backscattering as long as intervalley- and spin-flip scattering are suppressed. We discuss a possible experimental platform to detect this gapless mode based on strained suspended membranes on a superconductor, in which dynamical strain causes charge pumping

cond-mat.supr-con

Efficient matrix-product-state preparation of highly entangled trial states: Weak Mott insulators on the triangular lattice revisited

Using tensor network states to unravel the physics of quantum spin liquids in minimal, yet generic microscopic spin or electronic models remains notoriously challenging. A prominent open question concerns the nature of the insulating ground state of two-dimensional half-filled Hubbard-type models on the triangular lattice in the vicinity of the Mott metal-insulator transition, a regime which can be approximated microscopically by a spin-1/2 Heisenberg model supplemented with additional "ring-exchange" interactions. Using a novel and efficient state preparation technique whereby we initialize full density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) calculations with highly entangled Gutzwiller-projected Fermi surface trial wave functions, we show -- contrary to previous works -- that the simplest triangular lattice $J$-$K$ spin model with four-site ring exchange likely does not harbor a fully gapless U(1) spinon Fermi surface (spin Bose metal) phase on four- and six-leg wide ladders. Our methodology paves the way to fully resolve with DMRG other controversial problems in the fields of frustrated quantum magnetism and strongly correlated electrons.

cond-mat.str-el

Topological defects in general quantum LDPC codes

We consider the structure of defects carrying quantum information in general quantum low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. These generalize the corresponding constructions for topological quantum codes, without the need for locality. Relation of such defects to (generalized) topological entanglement entropy is also discussed.

quant-ph

Pretopological fractional excitations in the two-leg flux ladder

Topological order, the hallmark of fractional quantum Hall states, is primarily defined in terms of ground-state degeneracy on higher-genus manifolds, e.g. the torus. We investigate analytically and numerically the smooth crossover between this topological regime and the Tao-Thouless thin torus quasi-1D limit. Using the wire-construction approach, we analyze an emergent charge density wave (CDW) signifying the break-down of topological order, and relate its phase shifts to Wilson loop operators. The CDW amplitude decreases exponentially with the torus circumference once it exceeds the transverse correlation length controllable by the inter-wire coupling. By means of numerical simulations based on the matrix product states (MPS) formalism, we explore the extreme quasi-1D limit in a two-leg flux ladder and present a simple recipe for probing fractional charge excitations in the $ν=1/2$ Laughlin-like state of hard-core bosons. We discuss the possibility of realizing this construction in cold-atom experiments. We also address the implications of our findings to the possibility of producing non-Abelian zero modes. As known from rigorous no-go theorems, topological protection for exotic zero modes such as parafermions cannot exist in 1D fermionic systems and the associated degeneracy cannot be robust. Our theory of the 1D-2D crossover allows to calculate the splitting of the degeneracy, which vanishes exponentially with the number of wires, similarly to the CDW amplitude.

cond-mat.str-el

Entanglement spectroscopy of non-Abelian anyons: Reading off quantum dimensions of individual anyons

We study the entanglement spectrum of topological systems hosting non-Abelian anyons. Akin to energy levels of a Hamiltonian, the entanglement spectrum is composed of symmetry multiplets. We find that the ratio between different eigenvalues within one multiplet is universal and is determined by the anyonic quantum dimensions. This result is a consequence of the conservation of the total topological charge. For systems with non-Abelian topological order, this generalizes known degeneracies of the entanglement spectrum, which are hallmarks of topological states. Experimental detection of these entanglement spectrum signatures may become possible in Majorana wires using multicopy schemes, allowing the measurement of quantum entanglement and its symmetry resolution.

cond-mat.str-el

Signatures of gapless fermionic spinons on a strip of the kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet

The search for exotic quantum spin liquid states in simple yet realistic spin models remains a central challenge in the field of frustrated quantum magnetism. Here we consider the canonical nearest-neighbor kagome Heisenberg antiferromagnet restricted to a quasi-1D strip consisting entirely of corner-sharing triangles. Using large-scale density matrix renormalization group calculations, we identify in this model an extended gapless quantum phase characterized by central charge $c=2$ and power-law decaying spin and bond-energy correlations which oscillate at tunably incommensurate wave vectors. We argue that this intriguing spin liquid phase can be understood as a marginal instability of a two-band spinon Fermi surface coupled to an emergent U(1) gauge field, an interpretation which we substantiate via bosonization analysis and Monte Carlo calculations on model Gutzwiller variational wave functions. Our results represent one of the first numerical demonstrations of emergent fermionic spinons in a simple SU(2) invariant nearest-neighbor Heisenberg model beyond the strictly 1D (Bethe chain) limit.

cond-mat.str-el

Majorana Zero Modes in Synthetic Dimensions

Recent experimental advances in the field of cold atoms led to the development of novel techniques for producing synthetic dimensions and synthetic magnetic fields, thus greatly expanding the utility of cold atomic systems for exploring exotic states of matter. In this paper we investigate the possibility of using experimentally tunable interactions in such systems to mimic the physics of Majorana chains, currently a subject of intense research. Crucially to our proposal, the interactions, which are local in space, appear non-local in the synthetic dimension. We use this fact to induce coupling between counter-propagating edge modes in the quantum Hall regime. For the case of attractive interactions in a system composed of two tunneling-coupled chains, we find a gapless quasi-topological phase with a doubly-degenerate ground state. While the total number of particles in the system is kept fixed, this phase is characterized by strong fluctuations of the pair number in each chain. Each ground state is characterized by the parity of the total particle number in each chain, similar to Majorana wires. However, in our system this degeneracy persists for periodic boundary conditions. For open boundary conditions there is a small splitting of this degeneracy due to the single-particle hopping at the edges. We show how subjecting the system to additional synthetic flux or asymmetric potentials on the two chains can be used to control this nonlocal qubit. We propose experimental probes for testing the nonlocal nature of such a qubit and measuring its state.

cond-mat.quant-gas

Persistence of the flat band in a kagome magnet with dipolar interactions

The weathervane modes of the classical Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the kagome lattice constitute possibly the earliest and certainly the most celebrated example of a flat band of zero-energy excitations. Such modes arise from the underconstraint that has since become a defining criterion of strong geometrical frustration. We investigate the fate of this flat band when dipolar interactions are added. These change the nearest-neighbour model fundamentally as they remove the Heisenberg spin-rotational symmetry while also introducing a long- range component to the interaction. We explain how the modes continue to remain approximately dispersionless, while being lifted to finite energy as well as being squeezed: they change their ellipticity described by the ratio of the amplitudes of the canonically conjugate variables comprising them. This phenomenon provides interesting connections between concepts such as constraint counting and self-screening underpinning the field of frustrated magnetism. We discuss variants of these phenomena for different interactions, lattices and dimension.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Theory of a 3+1D fractional chiral metal: interacting variant of the Weyl semimetal

Formulating consistent theories describing strongly correlated metallic topological phases is an outstanding problem in condensed matter physics. In this work we derive a theory defining a fractionalized analogue of the Weyl semimetal state: the fractional chiral metal. Our approach is to construct a 4+1D quantum Hall insulator by stacking 3+1D Weyl semimetals in a magnetic field. In a strong enough field the low-energy physics is determined by the lowest Landau level of each Weyl semimetal, which is highly degenerate and chiral, motivating us to use a coupled-wire approach. The one-dimensional dispersion of the lowest Landau level allows us to model the system as a set of degenerate 1+1D quantum wires that can be bosonized in the presence of electron-electron interactions and coupled such that a gapped phase is obtained, whose response to an electromagnetic field is given in terms of a Chern-Simons field theory. At the boundary of this phase we obtain the field theory of a 3+1D gapless fractional chiral state, which we show is consistent with a previous theory for the surface of a 4+1D Chern-Simons theory. The boundary's response to an external electromagnetic field is determined by a chiral anomaly with a fractionalized coefficient. We suggest that such anomalous response can be taken as a working definition of a fractionalized strongly correlated analogue of the Weyl semimetal state.

cond-mat.mes-hall

Topological Quantum Infidelity

Can topological quantum entanglement between anyons in one topological medium "stray" into a different, topologically distinct medium? In other words, can quantum information encoded non-locally in the combined state of non-Abelian anyons be shared between two distinct topological media? We consider a setup with two p-wave superconductors of opposite chirality and demonstrate that such scenario is indeed possible. The information encoded in the fermionic parity of two Majorana zero modes, originally within the same superconducting domain, can be shared between the domains or moved entirely from one domain to another provided that vortices can tunnel between them in a controlled fashion.

cond-mat.str-el

Demonstrating Entanglement by Testing Bell's Theorem in Majorana Wires

We propose an experiment that would establish the entanglement of Majorana zero modes in semiconductor nanowires by testing the Bell and Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequalities. Our proposal is viable with realistic system parameters, simple "keyboard" gating, and projective measurement. Simulation results indicate entanglement can be demonstrated with moderately accurate gate operations. In addition to providing further evidence for the existence of the Majorana bound states, our proposal could be used as an experimental stepping stone to more complicated braiding experiments.

cond-mat.mes-hall