Condensed Matter Theory

Abstract:

We introduce an SU⁡(𝑀)-symmetric disordered bipartite spin model with unusual characteristics. Although superficially similar to the Sachdev-Ye (SY) model, it has several markedly different properties for 𝑀≥3. In particular, it has a large nontrivial nullspace whose dimension grows exponentially with system size. The states in this nullspace are frustration-free and are ground states when the interactions are ferromagnetic. The exponential growth of the nullspace leads to Hilbert-space fragmentation and a violation of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. We demonstrate that the commutant algebra responsible for this fragmentation is a nontrivial subalgebra of the Read-Saleur commutant algebra of certain nearest-neighbor models such as the spin-1 biquadratic spin chain. We also discuss the low-energy behavior of correlations for the disordered version of this model in the limit of a large number of spins and large 𝑀, using techniques similar to those applied to the SY model. We conclude by generalizing the Shiraishi-Mori embedding formalism to nonlocal models, and apply it to turn some of our nullspace states into quantum many-body scars.

Abstract:

<jats:p>We introduce an <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><a:mrow><a:mi>SU</a:mi><a:mo>(</a:mo><a:mi>M</a:mi><a:mo>)</a:mo></a:mrow></a:math>-symmetric disordered bipartite spin model with unusual characteristics. Although superficially similar to the Sachdev-Ye (SY) model, it has several markedly different properties for <b:math xmlns:b="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><b:mrow><b:mi>M</b:mi><b:mo>≥</b:mo><b:mn>3</b:mn></b:mrow></b:math>. In particular, it has a large nontrivial nullspace whose dimension grows exponentially with system size. The states in this nullspace are frustration-free and are ground states when the interactions are ferromagnetic. The exponential growth of the nullspace leads to Hilbert-space fragmentation and a violation of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. We demonstrate that the commutant algebra responsible for this fragmentation is a nontrivial subalgebra of the Read-Saleur commutant algebra of certain nearest-neighbor models such as the spin-1 biquadratic spin chain. We also discuss the low-energy behavior of correlations for the disordered version of this model in the limit of a large number of spins and large <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><c:mi>M</c:mi></c:math>, using techniques similar to those applied to the SY model. We conclude by generalizing the Shiraishi-Mori embedding formalism to nonlocal models, and apply it to turn some of our nullspace states into quantum many-body scars.</jats:p> <jats:sec> <jats:title/> <jats:supplementary-material> <jats:permissions> <jats:copyright-statement>Published by the American Physical Society</jats:copyright-statement> <jats:copyright-year>2024</jats:copyright-year> </jats:permissions> </jats:supplementary-material> </jats:sec>

Abstract:

We study the statistics of matrix elements of local operators in the basis of energy eigenstates in a paradigmatic, integrable, many-particle quantum theory, the Lieb-Liniger model of bosons with repulsive delta-function interactions. Using methods of quantum integrability, we determine the scaling of matrix elements with system size. As a consequence of the extensive number of conservation laws, the structure of matrix elements is fundamentally different from, and much more intricate than, the predictions of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for generic models. We uncover an interesting connection between this structure for local operators in interacting integrable models and the one for local operators that are not local with respect to the elementary excitations in free theories. We find that typical off-diagonal matrix elements ⟨𝝁⁢|𝒪|⁢𝝀⟩ in the same macrostate scale as exp⁡(−𝑐𝒪⁢𝐿⁢ln⁡(𝐿)−𝐿⁢𝑀𝒪 𝝁,𝝀), where the probability distribution function for 𝑀𝒪 𝝁,𝝀 is well described by Fréchet distributions and 𝑐𝒪 depends only on macrostate information. In contrast, typical off-diagonal matrix elements between two different macrostates scale as exp⁡(−𝑑𝒪⁢𝐿2), where 𝑑𝒪 depends only on macrostate information. Diagonal matrix elements depend only on macrostate information up to finite-size corrections.

Abstract:

Director field alignment in inkjet printed droplets of chiral nematic liquid crystalline materials is investigated using both experiments and numerical simulations. Experimental investigations are performed by depositing droplets of varying sizes and pitches on homeotropic alignment layers. The competition between the bulk behaviour of the chiral nematic liquid crystal and the boundary conditions imposed by the droplet surface leads to the formation of a range of possible internal director configurations. Numerical investigations are performed using a free energy minimisation approach, and the resultant simulated polarising optical microscope images are found to agree well with experimental observations.