arXiv subjects

Zhenghan Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Zhenghan Wang.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

(3+1)-TQFTs and Topological Insulators

Levin-Wen models are microscopic spin models for topological phases of matter in (2+1)-dimension. We introduce a generalization of such models to (3+1)-dimension based on unitary braided fusion categories, also known as unitary premodular categories. We discuss the ground state degeneracy on 3-manifolds and statistics of excitations which include both points and defect loops. Potential connections with recently proposed fractional topological insulators and projective ribbon permutation statistics are described.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Critical theory of the topological quantum phase transition in a spin-2 chain

We systematically study the phase diagram of S=2 spin chain, by means of density-matrix renormalization group and exact diagonalization methods and confirm the presence of a dimer phase in the AKLT--SZH model. We find that the whole phase boundary between the dimer and SZH phases, including the multicritical point, is a critical line with the same central charge $c=5/2$. Finally, we propose and confirm that this line can be described by the $\rm SO(5)_1$ Wess-Zumino-Witten (WZW) conformal field theory.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Projective Ribbon Permutation Statistics: a Remnant of non-Abelian Braiding in Higher Dimensions

In a recent paper, Teo and Kane proposed a 3D model in which the defects support Majorana fermion zero modes. They argued that exchanging and twisting these defects would implement a set R of unitary transformations on the zero mode Hilbert space which is a 'ghostly' recollection of the action of the braid group on Ising anyons in 2D. In this paper, we find the group T_{2n} which governs the statistics of these defects by analyzing the topology of the space K_{2n} of configurations of 2n defects in a slowly spatially-varying gapped free fermion Hamiltonian: T_{2n}\equiv {π_1}(K_{2n})$. We find that the group T_{2n}= Z \times T^r_{2n}, where the 'ribbon permutation group' T^r_{2n} is a mild enhancement of the permutation group S_{2n}: T^r_{2n} \equiv \Z_2 \times E((Z_2)^{2n}\rtimes S_{2n}). Here, E((Z_2)^{2n}\rtimes S_{2n}) is the 'even part' of (Z_2)^{2n} \rtimes S_{2n}, namely those elements for which the total parity of the element in (Z_2)^{2n} added to the parity of the permutation is even. Surprisingly, R is only a projective representation of T_{2n}, a possibility proposed by Wilczek. Thus, Teo and Kane's defects realize `Projective Ribbon Permutation Statistics', which we show to be consistent with locality. We extend this phenomenon to other dimensions, co-dimensions, and symmetry classes. Since it is an essential input for our calculation, we review the topological classification of gapped free fermion systems and its relation to Bott periodicity.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

Localization of unitary braid group representations

Governed by locality, we explore a connection between unitary braid group representations associated to a unitary $R$-matrix and to a simple object in a unitary braided fusion category. Unitary $R$-matrices, namely unitary solutions to the Yang-Baxter equation, afford explicitly local unitary representations of braid groups. Inspired by topological quantum computation, we study whether or not it is possible to reassemble the irreducible summands appearing in the unitary braid group representations from a unitary braided fusion category with possibly different positive multiplicities to get representations that are uniformly equivalent to the ones from a unitary R-matrix. Such an equivalence will be called a localization of the unitary braid group representations. We show that the q=exp(πi/6) specialization of the unitary Jones representation of the braid groups can be localized by a unitary $9\times 9$ R-matrix. Actually this Jones representation is the first one in a family of theories (SO(N),2) for an odd prime N>1, which are conjectured to be localizable. We formulate several general conjectures and discuss possible connections to physics and computer science.

math.RT↗

arXiv2010

Statistical dynamics of a non-Abelian anyonic quantum walk

We study the single particle dynamics of a mobile non-Abelian anyon hopping around many pinned anyons on a surface. The dynamics is modelled by a discrete time quantum walk and the spatial degree of freedom of the mobile anyon becomes entangled with the fusion degrees of freedom of the collective system. Each quantum trajectory makes a closed braid on the world lines of the particles establishing a direct connection between statistical dynamics and quantum link invariants. We find that asymptotically a mobile Ising anyon becomes so entangled with its environment that its statistical dynamics reduces to a classical random walk with linear dispersion in contrast to particles with Abelian statistics which have quadratic dispersion.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

On classification of modular tensor categories

We classify all unitary modular tensor categories (UMTCs) of rank $\leq 4$. There are a total of 70 UMTCs of rank $\leq 4$ (Note that some authors would have counted as 35 MTCs.) In our convention there are two trivial unitary MTCs distinguished by the modular $S$ matrix $S=(\pm1)$. Each such UMTC can be obtained from 10 non-trivial prime UMTCs by direct product, and some symmetry operations. UMTCs encode topological properties of anyonic quantum systems and can be used to build fault-tolerant quantum computers. We conjecture that there are only finitely many equivalence classes of MTCs for any given rank, and a UMTC is universal for anyonic quantum computation if and only if its global quantum dimension $D^2$ is \emph{not} an integer. Discovery of non-abelain anyons in Nature will be a landmark in condensed matter physics. The non-abelian anyons in UMTCs of rank $\leq 4$ are the simplest, and, therefore, are most likely to be found. G. Moore and N. Read proposed that non-abelian statistics could occur in fractional quantum Hall (FQH) liquids. The Read-Rezayi conjecture predicts the existence of anyons related to $SU(2)_k$ in FQH liquids at filling fractions $ν=2+\frac{k}{k+2}$ for $k=1,2,3$. For $ν={5/2}$ and $SU(2)_2$, there is a numerical proof and experimental evidence for this conjecture. The Ising anyons might exist in chiral superconductors (strontium ruthenate). There are theoretical designs for the toric code MTC using Josephson junction array, for the $Fib\times Fib$ MTC using optical lattice, and for the $SU(2)_k$ using cold trapped bosonic atoms.

math.QA↗

arXiv2009

Non-Abelian Quantum Hall States and their Quasiparticles: from the Pattern of Zeros to Vertex Algebra

In the pattern-of-zeros approach to quantum Hall states, a set of data {n;m;S_a|a=1,...,n; n,m,S_a in N} (called the pattern of zeros) is introduced to characterize a quantum Hall wave function. In this paper we find sufficient conditions on the pattern of zeros so that the data correspond to a valid wave function. Some times, a set of data {n;m;S_a} corresponds to a unique quantum Hall state, while other times, a set of data corresponds to several different quantum Hall states. So in the latter cases, the patterns of zeros alone does not completely characterize the quantum Hall states. In this paper, We find that the following expanded set of data {n;m;S_a;c|a=1,...,n; n,m,S_a in N; c in R} provides a more complete characterization of quantum Hall states. Each expanded set of data completely characterize a unique quantum Hall state, at least for the examples discussed in this paper. The result is obtained by combining the pattern of zeros and Z_n simple-current vertex algebra which describes a large class of Abelian and non-Abelian quantum Hall states Φ_{Z_n}^sc. The more complete characterization in terms of {n;m;S_a;c} allows us to obtain more topological properties of those states, which include the central charge c of edge states, the scaling dimensions and the statistics of quasiparticle excitations.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Anyonic Quantum Walks

The one dimensional quantum walk of anyonic systems is presented. The anyonic walker performs braiding operations with stationary anyons of the same type ordered canonically on the line of the walk. Abelian as well as non-Abelian anyons are studied and it is shown that they have very different properties. Abelian anyonic walks demonstrate the expected quadratic quantum speedup. Non-Abelian anyonic walks are much more subtle. The exponential increase of the system's Hilbert space and the particular statistical evolution of non-Abelian anyons give a variety of new behaviors. The position distribution of the walker is related to Jones polynomials, topological invariants of the links created by the anyonic world-lines during the walk. Several examples such as the SU(2) level k and the quantum double models are considered that provide insight to the rich diffusion properties of anyons.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2009

Collective States of Interacting Anyons, Edge States, and the Nucleation of Topological Liquids

Quantum mechanical systems, whose degrees of freedom are so-called su(2)_k anyons, form a bridge between ordinary SU(2) spin systems and systems of interacting non-Abelian anyons. Such a connection can be made for arbitrary spin-S systems, and we explicitly discuss spin-1/2 and spin-1 systems. Anyonic spin-1/2 chains exhibit a topological protection mechanism that stabilizes their gapless ground states and which vanishes only in the limit (k to infinity) of the ordinary spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain. For anyonic spin-1 chains we find their phase diagrams to closely mirror the one of the biquadratic SU(2) spin-1 chain. Our results describe at the same time nucleation of different 2D topological quantum fluids within a `parent' non-Abelian quantum Hall state, arising from a macroscopic occupation of localized, interacting anyons. The edge states between the `nucleated' and the `parent' liquids are neutral, and correspond precisely to the gapless modes of the anyonic chains.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Topology driven quantum phase transitions in time-reversal invariant anyonic quantum liquids

Indistinguishable particles in two dimensions can be characterized by anyonic quantum statistics more general than those of bosons or fermions. Such anyons emerge as quasiparticles in fractional quantum Hall states and certain frustrated quantum magnets. Quantum liquids of anyons exhibit degenerate ground states where the degeneracy depends on the topology of the underlying surface. Here we present a novel type of continuous quantum phase transition in such anyonic quantum liquids that is driven by quantum fluctuations of topology. The critical state connecting two anyonic liquids on surfaces with different topologies is reminiscent of the notion of a `quantum foam' with fluctuations on all length scales. This exotic quantum phase transition arises in a microscopic model of interacting anyons for which we present an exact solution in a linear geometry. We introduce an intuitive physical picture of this model that unifies string nets and loop gases, and provide a simple description of topological quantum phases and their phase transitions.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

A short introduction to Fibonacci anyon models

We discuss how to construct models of interacting anyons by generalizing quantum spin Hamiltonians to anyonic degrees of freedom. The simplest interactions energetically favor pairs of anyons to fuse into the trivial ("identity") channel, similar to the quantum Heisenberg model favoring pairs of spins to form spin singlets. We present an introduction to the theory of anyons and discuss in detail how basis sets and matrix representations of the interaction terms can be obtained, using non-Abelian Fibonacci anyons as example. Besides discussing the "golden chain", a one-dimensional system of anyons with nearest neighbor interactions, we also present the derivation of more complicated interaction terms, such as three-anyon interactions in the spirit of the Majumdar-Ghosh spin chain, longer range interactions and two-leg ladders. We also discuss generalizations to anyons with general non-Abelian su(2)_k statistics. The k to infinity limit of the latter yields ordinary SU(2) spin chains.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2008

Non-abelian statistics from an abelian model

It is well known that the abelian $Z_2$ anyonic model (toric code) can be realized on a highly entangled two-dimensional spin lattice, where the anyons are quasiparticles located at the endpoints of string-like concatenations of Pauli operators. Here we show that the same entangled states of the same lattice are capable of supporting the non-abelian Ising model, where the concatenated operators are elements of the Clifford group. The Ising anyons are shown to be essentially superpositions of the abelian toric code anyons, reproducing the required fusion, braiding and statistical properties. We propose a string framing and ancillary qubits to implement the non-trivial chirality of this model.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2008

On exotic modular tensor categories

It has been conjectured that every $(2+1)$-TQFT is a Chern-Simons-Witten (CSW) theory labelled by a pair $(G,λ)$, where $G$ is a compact Lie group, and $λ\in H^4(BG;Z)$ a cohomology class. We study two TQFTs constructed from Jones' subfactor theory which are believed to be counterexamples to this conjecture: one is the quantum double of the even sectors of the $E_6$ subfactor, and the other is the quantum double of the even sectors of the Haagerup subfactor. We cannot prove mathematically that the two TQFTs are indeed counterexamples because CSW TQFTs, while physically defined, are not yet mathematically constructed for every pair $(G,λ)$. The cases that are constructed mathematically include: 1. $G$ is a finite group--the Dijkgraaf-Witten TQFTs; 2. $G$ is torus $T^n$; 3. $G$ is a connected semi-simple Lie group--the Reshetikhin-Turaev TQFTs. We prove that the two TQFTs are not among those mathematically constructed TQFTs or their direct products. Both TQFTs are of the Turaev-Viro type: quantum doubles of spherical tensor categories. We further prove that neither TQFT is a quantum double of a braided fusion category, and give evidence that neither is an orbifold or coset of TQFTs above. Moreover, representation of the braid groups from the half $E_6$ TQFT can be used to build universal topological quantum computers, and the same is expected for the Haagerup case.

math.GT↗

arXiv2008

Topological properties of Abelian and non-Abelian quantum Hall states from the pattern of zeros

It has been shown that different Abelian and non-Abelian fraction quantum Hall states can be characterized by patterns of zeros described by sequences of integers {S_a}. In this paper, we will show how to use the data {S_a} to calculate various topological properties of the corresponding fraction quantum Hall state, such as the number of possible quasiparticle types and their quantum numbers, as well as the actions of the quasiparticle tunneling and modular transformations on the degenerate ground states on torus.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2008

A classification of symmetric polynomials of infinite variables -- a construction of Abelian and non-Abelian quantum Hall states

Classification of complex wave functions of infinite variables is an important problem since it is related to the classification of possible quantum states of matter. In this paper, we propose a way to classify symmetric polynomials of infinite variables using the pattern of zeros of the polynomials. Such a classification leads to a construction of a class of simple non-Abelian quantum Hall states which are closely related to parafermion conformal field theories.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Interacting anyons in topological quantum liquids: The golden chain

We discuss generalizations of quantum spin Hamiltonians using anyonic degrees of freedom. The simplest model for interacting anyons energetically favors neighboring anyons to fuse into the trivial (`identity') channel, similar to the quantum Heisenberg model favoring neighboring spins to form spin singlets. Numerical simulations of a chain of Fibonacci anyons show that the model is critical with a dynamical critical exponent z=1, and described by a two-dimensional conformal field theory with central charge c=7/10. An exact mapping of the anyonic chain onto the two-dimensional tricritical Ising model is given using the restricted-solid-on-solid (RSOS) representation of the Temperley-Lieb algebra. The gaplessness of the chain is shown to have topological origin.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

From String Nets to Nonabelions

We discuss Hilbert spaces spanned by the set of string nets, i.e. trivalent graphs, on a lattice. We suggest some routes by which such a Hilbert space could be the low-energy subspace of a model of quantum spins on a lattice with short-ranged interactions. We then explain conditions which a Hamiltonian acting on this string net Hilbert space must satisfy in order for its ground state and low-lying quasiparticle excitations to be in the DFib topological phase. Using the string net wavefunction, we describe the properties of this phase. Our discussion is informed by mappings of string net wavefunctions to the chromatic polynomial and the Potts model.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Large Fourier transforms never exactly realized by braiding conformal blocks

Fourier transform is an essential ingredient in Shor's factoring algorithm. In the standard quantum circuit model with the gate set $\{\U(2), \textrm{CNOT}\}$, the discrete Fourier transforms $F_N=(ω^{ij})_{N\times N},i,j=0,1,..., N-1, ω=e^{\frac{2πi}{N}}$, can be realized exactly by quantum circuits of size $O(n^2), n=\textrm{log}N$, and so can the discrete sine/cosine transforms. In topological quantum computing, the simplest universal topological quantum computer is based on the Fibonacci (2+1)-topological quantum field theory (TQFT), where the standard quantum circuits are replaced by unitary transformations realized by braiding conformal blocks. We report here that the large Fourier transforms $F_N$ and the discrete sine/cosine transforms can never be realized exactly by braiding conformal blocks for a fixed TQFT. It follows that approximation is unavoidable to implement the Fourier transforms by braiding conformal blocks.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗