arXiv subjects

Markus Heyl

Publications and source records attributed to Markus Heyl.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2023

Highly resolved spectral functions of two-dimensional systems with neural quantum states

Spectral functions are central to link experimental probes to theoretical models in condensed matter physics. However, performing exact numerical calculations for interacting quantum matter has remained a key challenge especially beyond one spatial dimension. In this work, we develop a versatile approach using neural quantum states to obtain spectral properties based on simulations of the dynamics of excitations initially localized in real or momentum space. We apply this approach to compute the dynamical structure factor in the vicinity of quantum critical points (QCPs) of different two-dimensional quantum Ising models, including one that describes the complex density wave orders of Rydberg atom arrays. When combined with deep network architectures we find that our method reliably describes dynamical structure factors of arrays with up to $24\times24$ spins, including the diverging time scales at critical points. Our approach is broadly applicable to interacting quantum lattice models in two dimensions and consequently opens up a route to compute spectral properties of correlated quantum matter in yet inaccessible regimes.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Anomalous relaxation of density waves in a ring-exchange system

We present the analysis of the slowing down exhibited by stochastic dynamics of a ring-exchange model on a square lattice, by means of numerical simulations. We find the preservation of coarse-grained memory of initial state of density-wave types for unexpectedly long times. This behavior is inconsistent with the prediction from a low frequency continuum theory developed by assuming a mean-field solution. Through a detailed analysis of correlation functions of the dynamically active regions, we exhibit an unconventional transient long ranged structure formation in a direction which is featureless for the initial condition, and argue that its slow melting plays a crucial role in the slowing-down mechanism. We expect our results to be relevant also for the dynamics of quantum ring-exchange dynamics of hard-core bosons and more generally for dipole moment conserving models

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Spectral response of disorder-free localized lattice gauge theories

We show that certain lattice gauge theories exhibiting disorder-free localization have a characteristic response in spatially averaged spectral functions: a few sharp peaks combined with vanishing response in the zero frequency limit. This reflects the discrete spectra of small clusters of kinetically active regions formed in such gauge theories when they fragment into spatially finite clusters in the localized phase due to the presence of static charges. We obtain the transverse component of the dynamic structure factor, which is probed by neutron scattering experiments, deep in this phase from a combination of analytical estimates and a numerical cluster expansion. We also show that local spectral functions of large finite clusters host discrete peaks whose positions agree with our analytical estimates. Further, information spreading, diagnosed by an unequal time commutator, halts due to real space fragmentation. Our results can be used to distinguish the disorder-free localized phase from conventional paramagnetic counterparts in those frustrated magnets which might realize such an emergent gauge theory.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2022

Quantum phase transition dynamics in the two-dimensional transverse-field Ising model

The quantum Kibble-Zurek mechanism (QKZM) predicts universal dynamical behavior near the quantum phase transitions (QPTs). It is now well understood for the one-dimensional quantum matter. Higher-dimensional systems, however, remain a challenge, complicated by the fundamentally different character of the associated QPTs and their underlying conformal field theories. In this work, we take the first steps toward theoretical exploration of the QKZM in two dimensions for interacting quantum matter. We study the dynamical crossing of the QPT in the paradigmatic Ising model by a joint effort of modern state-of-the-art numerical methods, including artificial neural networks and tensor networks. As a central result, we quantify universal QKZM behavior close to the QPT. We also note that, upon traversing further into the ferromagnetic regime, deviations from the QKZM prediction appear. We explain the observed behavior by proposing an {\it extended QKZM} taking into account spectral information as well as phase ordering. Our work provides a testing platform for higher-dimensional quantum simulators.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Disorder-free localization transition in a two-dimensional lattice gauge theory

Disorder-free localization is a novel mechanism for ergodicity breaking which can occur in interacting quantum many-body systems such as lattice gauge theories (LGTs). While the nature of the quantum localization transition (QLT) is still debated for conventional many-body localization, here we provide the first comprehensive characterization of the QLT in two dimensions (2D) for a disorder-free case. Disorder-free localization can appear in homogeneous 2D LGTs such as the U(1) quantum link model (QLM) due to an underlying classical percolation transition fragmenting the system into disconnected real-space clusters. Building on the percolation model, we characterize the QLT in the U(1) QLM through a detailed study of the ergodicity properties of finite-size real-space clusters via level-spacing statistics and localization in configuration space. We argue for the presence of two regimes - one in which large finite-size clusters effectively behave non-ergodically, a result naturally accounted for as an interference phenomenon in configuration space and the other in which all large clusters behave ergodically. As one central result, in the latter regime we claim that the QLT is equivalent to the classical percolation transition and is hence continuous. Utilizing this equivalence we determine the universality class and critical behaviour of the QLT from a finite-size scaling analysis of the percolation problem.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2022

Spatio-temporal heterogeneity of entanglement in many-body localized systems

We propose a spatio-temporal characterization of the entanglement dynamics in many-body localized (MBL) systems, which exhibits a striking resemblance with dynamical heterogeneity in classical glasses. Specifically, we find that the relaxation times of local entanglement, as measured by the concurrence, are spatially correlated yielding a dynamical length scale for quantum entanglement. As a consequence of this spatio-temporal analysis, we observe that the considered MBL system is made up of dynamically correlated clusters with a size set by this entanglement length scale. The system decomposes into compartments of different activity such as active regions with fast quantum entanglement dynamics and inactive regions where the dynamics is slow. We further find that the relaxation times of the on-site concurrence become broader distributed and more spatially correlated, as disorder increases or the energy of the initial state decreases. Through this spatio-temporal characterization of entanglement, our work unravels a previously unrecognized connection between the behavior of classical glasses and the genuine quantum dynamics of MBL systems.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2022

Quantum Fisher information measurement and verification of the quantum Cramér-Rao bound in a solid-state qubit

The quantum Cramér-Rao bound sets a fundamental limit on the accuracy of unbiased parameter estimation in quantum systems, relating the uncertainty in determining a parameter to the inverse of the quantum Fisher information. We experimentally demonstrate near saturation of the quantum Cramér-Rao bound in the phase estimation of a solid-state spin system, provided by a nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. This is achieved by comparing the experimental uncertainty in phase estimation with an independent measurement of the related quantum Fisher information. The latter is independently extracted from coherent dynamical responses of the system under weak parametric modulations, without performing any quantum-state tomography. While optimal parameter estimation has already been observed for quantum devices involving a limited number of degrees of freedom, our method offers a versatile and powerful experimental tool to explore the Cramér-Rao bound and the quantum Fisher information in systems of higher complexity, as relevant for quantum technologies.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Quantum chaos and ensemble inequivalence of quantum long-range Ising chains

We use large-scale exact diagonalization to study the quantum Ising chain in a transverse field with long-range power-law interactions decaying with exponent $α$. We numerically study various probes for quantum chaos and eigenstate thermalization {on} the level of eigenvalues and eigenstates. The level-spacing statistics yields a clear sign towards a Wigner-Dyson distribution and therefore towards quantum chaos across all values of $α>0$. Yet, for $α<1$ we find that the microcanonical entropy is nonconvex. This is due to the fact that the spectrum is organized in energetically separated multiplets for $α<1$. While quantum chaotic behaviour develops within the individual multiplets, many multiplets don't overlap and don't mix with each other, as we analytically and numerically argue. Our findings suggest that a small fraction of the multiplets could persist at low energies for $α\ll 1$ even for large $N$, giving rise to ensemble inequivalence.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Unconventional critical exponents at dynamical quantum phase transitions in a random Ising chain

Dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs) feature singular temporal behavior in transient quantum states during nonequilibrium real-time evolution. In this work we show that DQPTs in random Ising chains exhibit critical behavior with nontrivial exponents that are not integer valued and not of mean-field type. By means of an exact renormalization group transformation we estimate the exponents with high accuracy eliminating largely any finite-size effects. We further discuss how the considered dynamical phenomena can be made accessible in current Rydberg atom platforms. In this context we explore signatures of the DQPTs in the statistics of spin configuration measurements available in such architectures. Specifically, we study the statistics of clusters of consecutively aligned spins and observe a marked influence of the DQPT on the corresponding distribution.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Signatures of quantum phase transitions after quenches in quantum chaotic one-dimensional systems

Quantum phase transitions are central to our understanding of why matter at very low temperatures can exhibit starkly different properties upon small changes of microscopic parameters. Accurately locating those transitions is challenging experimentally and theoretically. Here we show that the antithetic strategy of forcing systems out of equilibrium via sudden quenches provides a route to locate quantum phase transitions. Specifically, we show that such transitions imprint distinctive features in the intermediate-time dynamics, and results after equilibration, of local observables in quantum-chaotic spin chains. Furthermore, we show that the effective temperature in the expected thermal-like states after equilibration can exhibit minima in the vicinity of the quantum critical points. We discuss how to test our results in experiments with Rydberg atoms, and explore nonequilibrium signatures of quantum critical points in models with topological transitions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Subdiffusive dynamics and critical quantum correlations in a disorder-free localized Kitaev honeycomb model out of equilibrium

Disorder-free localization has recently emerged as a mechanism for ergodicity breaking in homogeneous lattice gauge theories. In this work we show that this mechanism can lead to unconventional states of quantum matter as the absence of thermalization lifts constraints imposed by equilibrium statistical physics. We study a Kitaev honeycomb model in a skew magnetic field subject to a quantum quench from a fully polarized initial product state and observe nonergodic dynamics as a consequence of disorder-free localization. We find that the system exhibits a subballistic power-law entanglement growth and quantum correlation spreading, which is otherwise typically associated with thermalizing systems. In the asymptotic steady state the Kitaev model develops volume-law entanglement and power-law decaying dimer quantum correlations even at a finite energy density. Our work sheds light onto the potential for disorder-free localized lattice gauge theories to realize quantum states in two dimensions with properties beyond what is possible in an equilibrium context.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Local measures of dynamical quantum phase transitions

In recent years, dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs) have emerged as a useful theoretical concept to characterize nonequilibrium states of quantum matter. DQPTs are marked by singular behavior in an \textit{effective free energy} $λ(t)$, which, however, is a global measure, making its experimental or theoretical detection challenging in general. We introduce two local measures for the detection of DQPTs with the advantage of requiring fewer resources than the full effective free energy. The first, called the \textit{real-local} effective free energy $λ_M(t)$, is defined in real space and is therefore suitable for systems where locally resolved measurements are directly accessible such as in quantum-simulator experiments involving Rydberg atoms or trapped ions. We test $λ_M(t)$ in Ising chains with nearest-neighbor and power-law interactions, and find that this measure allows extraction of the universal critical behavior of DQPTs. The second measure we introduce is the \textit{momentum-local} effective free energy $λ_k(t)$, which is targeted at systems where momentum-resolved quantities are more naturally accessible, such as through time-of-flight measurements in ultracold atoms. We benchmark $λ_k(t)$ for the Kitaev chain, a paradigmatic system for topological quantum matter, in the presence of weak interactions. Our introduced local measures for effective free energies can further facilitate the detection of DQPTs in modern quantum-simulator experiments.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2021

Fate of Algebraic Many-Body Localization under driving

In this work we investigate the stability of an algebraically localized phase subject to periodic driving. First, we focus on a non-interacting model exhibiting algebraically localized single-particle modes. For this model we find numerically that the algebraically localized phase is stable under driving, meaning that the system remains localized at arbitrary frequencies. We support this result with analytical considerations using simple renormalization group arguments. Second, we inspect the case in which short-range interactions are added. By studying both, the eigenstates properties of the Floquet Hamiltonian and the out-of-equilibrium dynamics in the interacting model, we provide evidence that ergodicity is restored at any driving frequencies. In particular, we observe that for the accessible system sizes localization sets in at driving frequency that are comparable with the many-body bandwidth and thus it might be only transient, suggesting that the system might thermalize in the thermodynamic limit.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2021

Real-time dynamics of 1D and 2D bosonic quantum matter deep in the many-body localized phase

Recent experiments in quantum simulators have provided evidence for the Many-Body Localized (MBL) phase in 1D and 2D bosonic quantum matter. The theoretical study of such bosonic MBL, however, is a daunting task due to the unbounded nature of its Hilbert space. In this work, we introduce a method to compute the long-time real-time evolution of 1D and 2D bosonic systems in an MBL phase at strong disorder and weak interactions. We focus on local dynamical indicators that are able to distinguish an MBL phase from an Anderson localized one. In particular, we consider the temporal fluctuations of local observables, the spatiotemporal behavior of two-time correlators and Out-Of-Time-Correlators (OTOCs). We show that these few-body observables can be computed with a computational effort that depends only polynomially on system size but is independent of the target time, by extending a recently proposed numerical method [Phys. Rev. B 99, 241114 (2019)] to mixed states and bosons. Our method also allows us to surrogate our numerical study with analytical considerations of the time-dependent behavior of the studied quantities.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2021

Variational classical networks for dynamics in interacting quantum matter

Dynamics in correlated quantum matter is a hard problem, as its exact solution generally involves a computational effort that grows exponentially with the number of constituents. While a remarkable progress has been witnessed in recent years for one-dimensional systems, much less has been achieved for interacting quantum models in higher dimensions, since they incorporate an additional layer of complexity. In this work, we employ a variational method that allows for an efficient and controlled computation of the dynamics of quantum many-body systems in one and higher dimensions. The approach presented here introduces a variational class of wavefunctions based on complex networks of classical spins akin to artificial neural networks, which can be constructed in a controlled fashion. We provide a detailed prescription for such constructions and illustrate their performance by studying quantum quenches in one- and two-dimensional models. In particular, we investigate the nonequilibrium dynamics of a genuinely interacting two-dimensional lattice gauge theory, the quantum link model, for which we have recently shown -- employing the technique discussed thoroughly in this paper -- that it features disorder-free localization dynamics [P. Karpov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 126, 130401 (2021)]. The present work not only supplies a framework to address purely theoretical questions but also could be used to provide a theoretical description of experiments in quantum simulators, which have recently seen an increased effort targeting two-dimensional geometries. Importantly, our method can be applied to any quantum many-body system with a well-defined classical limit.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2021

Quantum entanglement recognition

Entanglement constitutes a key characteristic feature of quantum matter. Its detection, however, still faces major challenges. In this letter, we formulate a framework for probing entanglement based on machine learning techniques. The central element is a protocol for the generation of statistical images from quantum many-body states, with which we perform image classification by means of convolutional neural networks. We show that the resulting quantum entanglement recognition task is accurate and can be assigned a well-controlled error across a wide range of quantum states. We discuss the potential use of our scheme to quantify quantum entanglement in experiments. Our developed scheme provides a generally applicable strategy for quantum entanglement recognition in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium quantum matter.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2020

Nonlinear entanglement growth in inhomogeneous spacetimes

Entanglement has become central for the characterization of quantum matter both in and out of equilibrium. In a dynamical context entanglement exhibits universal linear temporal growth in generic systems, which stems from the underlying linear light cones as they occur in planar geometries. Inhomogeneous spacetimes can lead, however, to strongly bent trajectories. While such bent trajectories crucially impact correlation spreading and therefore the light-cone structure, it has remained elusive how this influences the entanglement dynamics. In this work we investigate the real-time evolution of the entanglement entropy in one-dimensional quantum systems after quenches which change the underlying spacetime background of the Hamiltonian. Concretely, we focus on the Rindler space describing the spacetime in close vicinity to a black hole. As a main result we find that entanglement grows sublinearly in a generic fashion both for interacting and noninteracting quantum matter. We further observe that the asymptotic relaxation becomes exponential, as opposed to algebraic for planar Minkowski spacetimes, and that in the vicinity of the black hole the relaxation time for large subsystems becomes independent of the subsystem size. We study entanglement dynamics both for the case of noninteracting fermions, allowing for exact numerical solutions, and for random unitary circuits representing a paradigmatic class of ergodic systems.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Unitary long-time evolution with quantum renormalization groups and artificial neural networks

In this work we combine quantum renormalization group approaches with deep artificial neural networks for the description of the real-time evolution in strongly disordered quantum matter. We find that this allows us to accurately compute the long-time coherent dynamics of large, many-body localized systems in non-perturbative regimes including the effects of many-body resonances. Concretely, we use this approach to describe the spatiotemporal buildup of many-body localized spin glass order in random Ising chains. We observe a fundamental difference to a non-interacting Anderson insulating Ising chain, where the order only develops over a finite spatial range. We further apply the approach to strongly disordered two-dimensional Ising models highlighting that our method can be used also for the description of the real-time dynamics of nonergodic quantum matter in a general context.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗