Condensed Matter Theory

Abstract:

We study the entanglement dynamics generated by quantum quenches in the quantum cellular automaton Rule 54. We consider the evolution from a recently introduced class of solvable initial states. States in this class relax (locally) to a one-parameter family of Gibbs states and the thermalisation dynamics of local observables can be characterised exactly by means of an evolution in space. Here we show that the latter approach also gives access to the entanglement dynamics and derive exact formulas describing the asymptotic linear growth of all Renyi entropies in the thermodynamic limit and their eventual saturation for finite subsystems. While in the case of von Neumann entropy we recover exactly the predictions of the quasiparticle picture, we find no physically meaningful quasiparticle description for other Renyi entropies. Our results apply to both homogeneous and inhomogeneous quenches.

Abstract:

We study the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the quantum cellular automaton Rule 54 using a time-channel approach. We exhibit a family of (non-equilibrium) product states for which we are able to describe exactly the full relaxation dynamics. We use this to prove that finite subsystems relax to a one-parameter family of Gibbs states. We also consider inhomogeneous quenches. Specifically, we show that when the two halves of the system are prepared in two different solvable states, finite subsystems at finite distance from the centre eventually relax to the non-equilibrium steady state (NESS) predicted by generalised hydrodynamics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first exact description of the relaxation to a NESS in an interacting system and, therefore, the first independent confirmation of generalised hydrodynamics for an inhomogeneous quench.

Abstract:

We consider fractional quantum Hall states in systems where two flat Chern number $C=\pm 1$ bands are labeled by an approximately conserved 'valley' index and interchanged by time reversal symmetry. At filling factor $\nu=1$ this setting admits an unusual hierarchy of correlated phases of excitons, neutral particle-hole pair excitations of a fully valley-polarized `orbital ferromagnet' parent state where all electrons occupy a single valley. Excitons experience an effective magnetic field due to the Chern numbers of the underlying bands. This obstructs their condensation in favor of a variety of crystalline orders and gapped and gapless liquid states. All these have the same quantized charge Hall response and are electrically incompressible, but differ in their edge structure, orbital magnetization, and hence valley and thermal responses. We explore the relevance of this scenario for Moir\'e heterostructures of bilayer graphene on a hexagonal boron nitride substrate.

Abstract:

We investigate the full doping and strain-dependent phase diagram (absent superconductivity) of magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). Using comprehensive Hartree-Fock calculations, we show that at temperatures where superconductivity is absent the global phase structure can be understood based on the competition and coexistence between three types of intertwined orders: a fully symmetric phase, spatially uniform flavor-symmetry-breaking states, and an incommensurate Kekul\'e spiral (IKS) order. For small strain, the IKS phase, recently proposed as a candidate order at all non-zero integer fillings of the moir\'e unit cell, is found to be ubiquitous for non-integer doping as well. We demonstrate that the corresponding electronic compressibility and Fermi surface structure are consistent with the 'cascade' physics and Landau fans observed experimentally.

Abstract:

We construct the enveloping fundamental spin model of the t-J hamiltonian using the Quantum Inverse Scattering Method (QISM), and present all three possible Algebraic Bethe Ans\"atze. Two of the solutions have been previously obtained in the framework of Coordinate Space Bethe Ansatz by Sutherland and by Schlottmann and Lai, whereas the third solution is new. The formulation of the model in terms of the QISM enables us to derive explicit expressions for higher conservation laws.