arXiv subjects

R. Shankar

Publications and source records attributed to R. Shankar.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

First Experimental Limit on the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Deuteron

Permanent electric dipole moments (EDMs) provide a sensitive probe of physics beyond the Standard Model and are directly linked to additional sources of CP violation that could explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. EDM measurements of charged particles in storage rings rely on detecting a small tilt of the invariant spin axis with respect to the ring plane. In this work, we present the experimental determination of the invariant spin axis of an ensemble of deuterons in the COoler SYnchrotron (COSY), a conventional magnetic storage ring, using a combination of a radio-frequency Wien filter, a superconducting Siberian snake and an electron-cooler solenoid. The measurements reveal tilts of a few milliradians, which are dominated by systematic effects. From the observed tilts, we derive the first experimental limit on the deuteron EDM, $|d^d|< 2.5\cdot10^{-17}\,e\cdot\mathrm{cm} \; (95\%\,\text{ C.L.})$. This result demonstrates the feasibility of using storage rings to search for EDMs of charged stable hadrons and provides a foundation for future dedicated facilities.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2025

Anomalous topological phases in a Chern insulator connected to leads in a cylindrical geometry

The observed robustly quantized Hall conductance in quantum Hall systems and Chern insulators (CI) is normally understood in terms of the bulk topology of isolated systems, not coupled to leads. It is assumed that the leads act as inert reservoirs. Within a model of a CI coupled to leads with a cylindrical geometry, we show that this is not always true. We identify the Hall conductance with a boundary invariant, the winding number of the phase of the reflection coefficient. We find anomalous topological phases where the boundary invariant is not the same as the bulk Chern number, even in the limit of weak lead coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

LHCspin: a Polarized Gas Target for LHC

The goal of the LHCspin project is to develop innovative solutions for measuring the 3D structure of nucleons in high-energy polarized fixed-target collisions at LHC, exploring new processes and exploiting new probes in a unique, previously unexplored, kinematic regime. A precise multi-dimensional description of the hadron structure has, in fact, the potential to deepen our understanding of the strong interactions and to provide a much more precise framework for measuring both Standard Model and Beyond Standard Model observables. This ambitious task poses its basis on the recent experience with the successful installation and operation of the SMOG2 unpolarized gas target in front of the LHCb spectrometer. Besides allowing for interesting physics studies ranging from astrophysics to heavy-ion physics, SMOG2 provides an ideal benchmark for studying beam-target dynamics at the LHC and demonstrates the feasibility of simultaneous operation with beam-beam collisions. With the installation of the proposed polarized target system, LHCb will become the first experiment to simultaneously collect data from unpolarized beam-beam collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=14 TeV and polarized and unpolarized beam-target collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}\sim$100 GeV. LHCspin has the potential to open new frontiers in physics by exploiting the capabilities of the world's most powerful collider and one of the most advanced spectrometers. This document also highlights the need to perform an R\&D campaign and the commissioning of the apparatus at the LHC Interaction Region 4 during the Run 4, before its final installation in LHCb. This opportunity could also allow to undertake preliminary physics measurements with unprecedented conditions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2025

Maintaining a Resonance Condition of an RF Spin Rotator Through a Feedback Loop in a Storage Ring

This paper presents the successful application of a phase-lock feedback system to maintain the resonance condition of a radio frequency (rf) spin rotator (specifically, an rf Wien filter) with respect to a 120 kHz spin precession in the Cooler Synchrotron (COSY) storage ring. Real-time monitoring of the spin precession and the rf Wien filter signal allows the relative phase between the two to be stabilized at an arbitrary setpoint. The feedback system compensates for deviations in the relative phase by adjusting the frequency and/or phase as needed. With this method, a variation in phase relative to the demand phase with a standard deviation of $\sigma_{\Delta\varphi}\approx 0.2\mathrm{rad}$ could be achieved. The system was implemented in two runs aiming at a first direct measurement of the deuteron electric dipole moment in 2018 and 2021. In addition, the difference between a single-bunch beam affected by the spin rotator and a two-bunch system in which only one bunch is exposed to the spin rotator fields is discussed. Both methods have been used during these beam times. The ability to keep the spin precession and the rf fields synchronized is also crucial for future investigations of electric dipole moments of charged particles using storage rings.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2023

Quantized two terminal conductance, edge states and current patterns in an open geometry 2-dimensional Chern insulator

The quantization of the two terminal conductance in 2D topological systems is justified by the Landauer-Buttiker (LB) theory that assumes perfect point contacts between single channel leads and the sample. We examine this assumption in a microscopic model of a Chern insulator connected to leads, using the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism. We find that the currents are localized both in the leads and in the insulator and enter and exit the insulator only near the corners. The contact details do not matter and a single channel with perfect contact is emergent, thus justifying the LB theory. The quantized two-terminal conductance shows interesting finite-size effects and dependence on system-reservoir coupling.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2021

Super universality of dimerised $SU(N+M)$ spin chains

We explore the physics of the quantum Hall effect using the Haldane mapping of dimerised $SU(N+M)$ spin chains, the large $N$ expansion and the density matrix renormalization group technique. We show that while the transition is first order for $N+M >2$, the system at zero temperature nevertheless displays a continuously diverging length scale $\xi$ (correlation length). The numerical results for $(M, N) = (1,3), ~ (2, 2),~(1, 5)$ and $(1, 7)$ indicate that $\xi$ is a directly observable physical quantity, namely the spatial width of the edge states. We relate the physical observables of the quantum spin chain to those of the quantum Hall system (and, hence, the $\vartheta$ vacuum concept in quantum field theory). Our numerical investigations provide strong evidence for the conjecture of super universality which says the dimerised spin chain quite generally displays all the basic features of the quantum Hall effect, independent of the specific values of $M$ and $N$. For the cases at hand we show that the singularity structure of the quantum Hall plateau transitions involves a universal function with two scale parameters that may in general depend on $M$ and $N$. This includes not only the Hall conductance but also the ground state energy as well as the correlation length $\xi$ with varying values of $\vartheta \sim \pi$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Estimating the number of COVID-19 infections in Indian hot-spots using fatality data

In India the COVID-19 infected population has not yet been accurately established. As always in the early stages of any epidemic, the need to test serious cases first has meant that the population with asymptomatic or mild sub-clinical symptoms has not yet been analyzed. Using counts of fatalities, and previously estimated parameters for the progress of the disease, we give statistical estimates of the infected population. The doubling time is a crucial unknown input parameter which affects these estimates, and may differ strongly from one geographical location to another. We suggest a method for estimating epidemiological parameters for COVID-19 in different locations within a few days, so adding to the information required for gauging the success of public health interventions

q-bio.PE↗

arXiv2019

Storage Ring to Search for Electric Dipole Moments of Charged Particles -- Feasibility Study

The proposed method exploits charged particles confined as a storage ring beam (proton, deuteron, possibly $^3$He) to search for an intrinsic electric dipole moment (EDM) aligned along the particle spin axis. Statistical sensitivities could approach 10$^{-29}$ e$\cdot$cm. The challenge will be to reduce systematic errors to similar levels. The ring will be adjusted to preserve the spin polarisation, initially parallel to the particle velocity, for times in excess of 15 minutes. Large radial electric fields, acting through the EDM, will rotate the polarisation from the longitudinal to the vertical direction. The slow rise in the vertical polarisation component, detected through scattering from a target, signals the EDM. The project strategy is outlined. A stepwise plan is foreseen, starting with ongoing COSY activities that demonstrate technical feasibility. Achievements to date include reduced polarization measurement errors, long horizontal plane polarization lifetimes, and control of the polarization direction through feedback from scattering measurements. The project continues with a proof-of-capability measurement (precursor experiment; first direct deuteron EDM measurement), an intermediate prototype ring (proof-of-principle; demonstrator for key technologies), and finally a high-precision electric-field storage ring.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2019

Theory of Optimal Transport and the Structure of Many-Body States

There has been much work in the recent past in developing the idea of quantum geometry to characterize and understand the structure of many-particle states. For mean-field states, the quantum geometry has been defined and analysed in terms of the quantum distances between two points in the space of single particle spectral parameters (the Brillioun zone for periodic systems) and the geometric phase associated with any loop in this space. These definitions are in terms of single-particle wavefunctions. In recent work, we had proposed a formalism to define quantum distances between two points in the spectral parameter space for any correlated many-body state. In this paper we argue that, for correlated states, the application of the theory of optimal transport to analyse the geometry is a powerful approach. This technique enables us to define geometric quantities which are averaged over the entire spectral parameter space. We present explicit results for a well studied model, the one dimensional t-V model, which exhibits a metal-insulator transition, as evidence for our hypothesis.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Intrinsic and extrinsic geometries of correlated many-body states

We explore two approaches to characterise the quantum geometry of the ground state of correlated fermions in terms of the distance matrix in the spectral parameter space. (a) An intrinsic geometry approach, in which we study the intrinsic curvature defined in terms of the distance matrix. (b) An extrinsic geometry approach, in which we investigate how the distance matrix can be approximately embedded in finite dimensional Euclidean spaces. We implement these approaches for the ground state of a system of one-dimensional fermions on a 18-site lattice with nearest neighbour repulsion. The intrinsic curvature sharply changes around the Fermi points in the metallic regime but is more or less uniform in the insulating regime. In the metallic regime, the embedded points clump into two well seperated sets, one corresponding to modes in the Fermi sea and the other to the modes outside it. In the insulating regime, the two sets tend to merge.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Quantum geometry of correlated many-body states

We provide a definition of the quantum distances of correlated many fermion wave functions in terms of the expectation values of certain operators that we call exchange operators. We prove that the distances satisfy the triangle inequalities. We apply our formalism to the one-dimensional t-V model, which we solve numerically by exact diagonalisation. We compute the distance matrix and illustrate that it shows clear signatures of the metal-insulator transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

Topological Insulators -- A review

These lecture notes were prepared for a mixed audience of students, postdocs and faculty from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India and neighboring institutions, particularly the Institute of Mathematical Sciences. I am not an expert on the subject and during the few years I spent working on the Quantum Hall effect, I had not fully appreciated that it was part of a family of topological insulators. It was a pleasure to dig a little deeper into this subject and to share its wonders with others. In preparing these lectures I relied heavily on the help of Ganpathy Murthy (UKy) and a very helpful conversation with Steve Kivelson (Stanford.) I am of course responsible any errors despite their efforts. I also relied on some excellent Powerpoint slides of various talks. I have furnished a few choice references at the end and very few references to original papers. I cover only $d=1$ and $d=2$.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2018

The quantum spin quadrumer

A fundamental motif in frustrated magnetism is the fully mutually coupled cluster of $N$ spins, with each spin coupled to every other spin. Clusters with $N=2$ and $3$ have been extensively studied as building blocks of square and triangular lattice antiferromagnets. In both cases, large-$S$ semiclassical descriptions have been fruitfully constructed, providing insights into the physics of macroscopic magnetic systems. Here, we develop a semiclassical theory for the $N=4$ cluster. This problem has rich mathematical structure with a ground state space that has non-trivial topology. We show that the ground states are appropriately parametrized by a unit vector order parameter and a rotation matrix. Remarkably, in the low energy description, the physics of the cluster reduces to that of an emergent free spin-$S$ spin and a rigid rotor. This successfully explains the spectrum of the quadrumer and its associated degeneracies. However, this mapping does not hold in the vicinity of collinear ground states due to a subtle effect that arises from the non-manifold nature of the ground state space. We demonstrate this by an analysis of soft fluctuations, showing that collinear states have a larger number of soft modes. Nevertheless, as these singularities only occur on a subset of measure zero, the mapping to a spin and a rotor provides a good description of the quadrumer. We interpret thermodynamic properties of the quadrumer that are accessible in molecular magnets, in terms of the rotor and spin degrees of freedom. Our study paves the way for field theoretic descriptions of systems such as pyrochlore magnets.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2017

Translational symmetry breaking and the disintegration of the Hofstadter butterfly

We study the effect of interactions on the Hofstadter butterfly of the honeycomb lattice. We show that the interactions induce charge ordering that breaks the translational and rotational symmetries of the system. These phase transitions are prolific and occur at many values of the flux and particle density. The breaking of the translational symmetry introduces a new length scale in the problem and this affects the energy band diagram resulting in the disintegration of the fractal structure in the energy flux plot, the Hofstadter butterfly. This disintegration increases with increase in the interaction strength. Many of these phase transitions are accompanied with change in the Hall conductivity. Consequently, the disintegration of the Hofstadter butterfly is manifested in the Landau fan diagram also.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2016

Effects of Interaction in the Hofstadter regime of the honeycomb lattice

We investigate phases of spinless fermions on the honeycomb lattice with nearest neighbor interaction in the Hofstadter regime. The interaction induces incompressible nematic and ferri-electric phases with broken translation symmetry. Some of the transitions are accompanied by changes in the Hall conductivity. We study pair correlations and show that the quantum metric, averaged over the Brillouin zone, characterizes the shape of the pair correlation function.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

Coulomb interactions, Dirac sea polarization and $SU(4)$ symmetry breaking of the integer quantum Hall states of graphene

We investigate effects of the filled Dirac sea on the $SU(4)$ symmetry breaking in the integer quantum Hall states of graphene with long-ranged Coulomb interactions. Our model also includes Hubbard and nearest neighbour repulsive interactions with strengths $U$ and $V$ respectively. We find that the symmetry breaking of the $n=0$ Landau levels induces an $SU(4)$ polarization of the Dirac sea. This results in several phases which are absent when the effects of the Dirac sea are neglected. We compute the phase diagram in the $U$-$V$ space. We also calculate the excitation gaps in tilted magnetic fields for all the phases. We compare our model results with experiments and find a range of $U$ and $V$ that are consistent with them.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2015

The $ν={1\over2}$ Landau level: Half-full or half-empty?

We show here that an extension of the Hamiltonian theory developed by us over the years furnishes a composite fermion (CF) description of the $ν=\frac{1}{2}$ state that is particle-hole (PH) symmetric, has a charge density that obeys the magnetic translation algebra of the lowest Landau level (LLL), and exhibits cherished ideas from highly successful wave functions, such as a neutral quasi-particle with a certain dipole moment related to its momentum. We also a provide an extension away from $ν=\frac{1}{2}$ which has the features from $ν=\frac{1}{2}$ and implements the the PH transformation on the LLL as an anti-unitary operator ${\cal T}$ with ${\cal T}^2=-1$. This extension of our past work was inspired by Son, who showed that the CF may be viewed as a Dirac fermion on which the particle-hole transformation of LLL electrons is realized as time-reversal, and Wang and Senthil who provided a very attractive interpretation of the CF as the bound state of a semion and anti-semion of charge $\pm {e\over 2}$. Along the way we also found a representation with all the features listed above except that now ${\cal T}^2=+1$. We suspect it corresponds to an emergent charge-conjugation symmetry of the $ν=1$ boson problem analyzed by Read.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2015

First order Quantum Hall Transitions in Hofstadter Butterfly in the Honeycomb Lattice

We analyze the effects of nearest neighbor repulsive interactions in the Hofstadter system in a honeycomb lattice. At low fillings, we show that, as the interaction strength is increased there are two first order transitions, a Landau transition with translational and rotational symmetries broken, followed by a topological transition with a jump in the quantized Hall conductivity. We therefore predict that in physical realizations where the interaction effects are strong, there would be translation symmetry broken states with quantized Hall conductivities that differ from those predicted by the non-interacting theory.

cond-mat.str-el↗