Finite-size Systems Research Articles

Chiral metals and entrapped insulators in a one-dimensional topological non-Hermitian system

In this work, we study many-body ``steady states'' that arise in the non-Hermitian generalization of the noninteracting Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model at a finite density of fermions. We find that the hitherto known phase diagrams for this system, derived from the single-particle gap closings, in fact correspond to distinct nonequilibrium phases, which either carry finite currents or are dynamical insulators where particles are entrapped. Each of these have distinct quasiparticle excitations and steady-state correlations and entanglement properties. Looking at finite-sized systems, we further modulate the boundary to uncover the topological features in such steady states, particularly the emergence of leaky boundary modes. Using a variety of analytical and numerical methods, we develop a theoretical understanding of the various phases and their transitions, and we uncover the rich interplay of nonequilibrium many-body physics, quantum entanglement, and topology in a simple looking yet rich model system.

A random hermitian matrix representation for two-dimensional percolation model‎

In this letter, the random matrix theory representation of a bond-percolation model on square lattice is presented. The behavior of random matrix model can be determined only by its two largest eigenvalues. The second largest eigenvalue sits exactly on the edge of semicircle part of eigenvalue’s distribution and its position is a function of p, on the other hand the first largest eigenvalue is disjointed from other eigenvalues and its distribution is Gaussian. Also the first largest eigenvalue is responsible for scaling properties near criticality. Numerical simulations show power-law divergences emerged from coalescence of two largest eigenvalues near critical point at the thermodynamic limit. In this letter a scaling formalism is presented which describes complete scaling behavior of largest eigenvalue’s fluctuations with a set of scaling exponents in finite-size systems.

Quantum fluctuation in an inhomogeneous background and its influence on the phase transition in a finite volume system

We have studied the grand potential and phase transitions of an inhomogeneous finite volume spherical quark system. First the finite volume effects are considered by applying the multiple reflection expansion method which is an approximation for the density of states of the momentum in the grand potential of the finite size system. Then, the density of states of momentum is further modified by the thermal fluctuations in the thermal system with the inhomogeneous field background. The modification of the density of states is calculated by the scattering phase shift from the Dirac equation of quarks in the inhomogeneous field background. By the numerical calculation we show how the phase transition is changed by varying the configuration of the inhomogeneous field background and find that the strong first order phase transition could be weakened or even changed to a crossover as a result.

Mechanisms for the emergence of Gaussian correlations

We comprehensively investigate two distinct mechanisms leading to memory loss of non-Gaussian correlations after switching off the interactions in an isolated quantum system undergoing out-of-equilibrium dynamics. The first mechanism is based on spatial scrambling and results in the emergence of locally Gaussian steady states in large systems evolving over long times. The second mechanism, characterized as `canonical transmutation', is based on the mixing of a pair of canonically conjugate fields, one of which initially exhibits non-Gaussian fluctuations while the other is Gaussian and dominates the dynamics, resulting in the emergence of relative Gaussianity even at finite system sizes and times. We evaluate signatures of the occurrence of the two candidate mechanisms in a recent experiment that has observed Gaussification in an atom-chip controlled ultracold gas and elucidate evidence that it is canonical transmutation rather than spatial scrambling that is responsible for Gaussification in the experiment. Both mechanisms are shown to share the common feature that the Gaussian correlations revealed dynamically by the quench are already present though practically inaccessible at the initial time. On the way, we present novel observations based on the experimental data, demonstrating clustering of equilibrium correlations, analyzing the dynamics of full counting statistics, and utilizing tomographic reconstructions of quantum field states. Our work aims at providing an accessible presentation of the potential of atom-chip experiments to explore fundamental aspects of quantum field theories in quantum simulations.

Chaos Induced by Heteroclinic Cycles Connecting Repellers for First-Order Partial Difference Equations

This paper studies chaos and chaotification for a class of first-order partial difference equations with a finite or infinite system size by using the theory of heteroclinic cycles connecting repellers. Three criteria of chaos induced by regular and nondegenerate heteroclinic cycles connecting repellers or regular heteroclinic cycles connecting repellers are established, respectively. Especially, one chaotification theorem for general discrete systems in the finite-dimensional space [Formula: see text] or the infinite-dimensional space [Formula: see text] is established, which is also based on heteroclinic cycles connecting repellers. Then, by using this result, two chaotification schemes for first-order partial difference equations are established. For illustrating the existence of chaos and the validity of chaotification schemes, three examples are provided with computer simulations.

Compressibility and the equation of state of an optical quantum gas in a box.

The compressibility of a medium, quantifying its response to mechanical perturbations, is a fundamental property determined by the equation of state. For gases of material particles, studies of the mechanical response are well established, in fields from classical thermodynamics to cold atomic quantum gases. We demonstrate a measurement of the compressibility of a two-dimensional quantum gas of light in a box potential and obtain the equation of state for the optical medium. The experiment was carried out in a nanostructured dye-filled optical microcavity. We observed signatures of Bose-Einstein condensation at high phase-space densities in the finite-size system. Upon entering the quantum degenerate regime, the measured density response to an external force sharply increases, hinting at the peculiar prediction of an infinite compressibility of the deeply degenerate Bose gas.

Asymptotic states of Ising ferromagnets with long-range interactions.

It is known that, after a quench to zero temperature (T=0), two-dimensional (d=2) Ising ferromagnets with short-range interactions do not always relax to the ordered state. They can also fall in infinitely long-lived striped metastable states with a finite probability. In this paper, we study how the abundance of striped states is affected by long-range interactions. We investigate the relaxation of d=2 Ising ferromagnets with power-law interactions by means of Monte Carlo simulations at both T=0 and T≠0. For T=0 and the finite system size, the striped metastable states are suppressed by long-range interactions. In the thermodynamic limit, their occurrence probabilities are consistent with the short-range case. For T≠0, the final state is always ordered. Further, the equilibration occurs at earlier times with an increase in the strength of the interactions.

Systematic generation of the cascade of anomalous dynamical first- and higher-order modes in Floquet topological insulators

After extensive investigation on the Floquet second-order topological insulator (FSOTI) in two dimension (2D), here we propose two driving schemes to systematically engineer the hierarchy of Floquet first-order topological insulator, FSOTI, and Floquet third-order topological insulator in three dimension (3D). Our driving protocols allow these Floquet phases to showcase regular $0$, anomalous $\pi$, and hybrid $0$-$\pi$-modes in a unified phase diagram, obtained for both 2D and 3D systems, while staring from the lower order topological or non-topological phases. Both the step drive and the mass kick protocols exhibit the analogous structure of the evolution operator around the high symmetry points. These eventually enable us to understand the Floquet phase diagrams analytically and the Floquet higher order modes numerically based on finite size systems. The number of $0$ and $\pi$-modes can be tuned irrespective of the frequency in the step drive scheme while we observe frequency driven topological phase transitions for the mass kick protocol. We topologically characterize some of these higher order Floquet phases (harboring either $0$ or anomalous $\pi$ mode) by suitable topological invariant in 2D and 3D cases.

Interface effects on the energy spectrum and quantum transport in two-dimensional topological heterostructures

We theoretically investigate the spectral and quantum transport properties of two-dimensional heterostructures build up of different topological materials. Surprising behavior arises due to particular tuning of the edge states, provided by internal symmetries or an external magnetic field, in the different constituents of the heterostructure. Specifically, we use the Chern-type topological insulator and the Weyl semimetals with one or two interfaces interposed between these systems. The energy spectrum may contain gaps which exhibit edge states of alternating chirality or, on the contrary, of a given chirality everywhere in the spectrum. Then, the calculation predicts that the quantum Hall effect may lack the negative plateaus or show asymmetric plateaus in the lower and upper part of the spectrum. Also, the channel distribution on the finite size system with interfaces and attached leads may give rise to fractional values of the quantum Hall resistance. The calculations are based on a diatomic lattice model, with hopping to the nearest- and next-nearest-neighbors, exposed to an internal periodic flux (of Haldane-type), and also to an external magnetic field.

Subdiffusive wave transport and weak localization transition in three-dimensional stealthy hyperuniform disordered systems

The purpose of this work is to understand the fundamental connection between structural correlations and light localization in three-dimensional (3D) open scattering systems of finite size. We numerically investigate the transport of vector electromagnetic waves scattered by resonant electric dipoles spatially arranged in 3D space by stealthy hyperuniform disordered point patterns. Three-dimensional stealthy hyperuniform disordered systems are engineered with different structural correlation properties determined by their degree of stealthiness $\ensuremath{\chi}$. Such fine control of exotic states of amorphous matter enables the systematic design of optical media that interpolate in a tunable fashion between uncorrelated random structures and crystalline materials. By solving the electromagnetic multiple scattering problem using Green's matrix spectral method, we establish a transport phase diagram that demonstrates a distinctive transition from a diffusive to a weak localization regime beyond a critical scattering density that depends on $\ensuremath{\chi}$. The transition is characterized by studying the Thouless number and the spectral statistics of the scattering resonances. In particular, by tuning the $\ensuremath{\chi}$ parameter, we demonstrate large spectral gaps and suppressed subradiant proximity resonances, facilitating light localization. Moreover, consistently with previous studies, our results show a region of the transport phase diagram where the investigated scattering systems become transparent. Our work provides a systematic description of the transport and weak localization properties of light in stealthy hyperuniform structures and motivates the engineering of photonic systems with enhanced light-matter interactions for applications to both classical and quantum devices.

Bohm Criterion of Plasma Sheaths away from Asymptotic Limits.

The plasma exit flow speed at the sheath entrance is constrained by the Bohm criterion. The so-called Bohm speed regulates the plasma particle and power exhaust fluxes to the wall, and it is commonly deployed as a boundary condition to exclude the sheath region in quasineutral plasma modeling. Here the Bohm criterion analysis is performed in the intermediate plasma regime away from the previously known limiting cases of adiabatic laws and the asymptotic limit of infinitesimal Debye length in a finite-size system, using the transport equations of an anisotropic plasma. The resulting Bohm speed has explicit dependence on local plasma heat flux, temperature isotropization, and thermal force. Comparison with kinetic simulations demonstrates its accuracy over the plasma-sheath transition region in which quasineutrality is weakly perturbed and the Bohm criterion applies.

Critical phase boundary and finite-size fluctuations in the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model with random intercell couplings

A dimerized fermion chain, described by Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model, is a well-known example of 1D system with a non-trivial band topology. An interplay of disorder and topological ordering in the SSH model is of a great interest owing to experimental advancements in synthesized quantum simulators. In this work, we investigate a special sort of a disorder when inter-cell hopping amplitudes are random. Using a definition for $\mathbb{Z}_2$-topological invariant $\nu\in \{ 0; 1\}$ in terms of a non-Hermitian part of the total Hamiltonian, we calculate $\langle\nu\rangle$ averaged by random realizations. This allows to find (i) an analytical form of the critical surface that separates phases of distinct topological orders and (ii) finite size fluctuations of $\nu$ for arbitrary disorder strength. Numerical simulations of the edge modes formation and gap suppression at the transition are provided for finite-size system. In the end, we discuss a band-touching condition derived within the averaged Green function method for a thermodynamic limit.

Topological superfluid transition in bubble-trapped condensates

Ultracold quantum gases are highly controllable and thus capable of simulating difficult quantum many-body problems ranging from condensed matter physics to astrophysics. Although experimental realizations have so far been restricted to flat geometries, recently also curved quantum systems, with the prospect of exploring tunable geometries, have been produced in microgravity facilities as ground-based experiments are technically limited. Here, we analyze bubble-trapped condensates, in which the atoms are confined on the surface of a thin spherically symmetric shell by means of external magnetic fields. A thermally induced proliferation of vorticity yields a vanishing of superfluidity. We describe the occurrence of this topological transition by conceptually extending the theory of Berezinskii, Kosterlitz, and Thouless for infinite uniform systems to such finite-size systems. Unexpectedly, we find universal scaling relations for the mean critical temperature and the finite width of the superfluid transition. Furthermore, we elucidate how they could be experimentally observed in finite-temperature hydrodynamic excitations.

Fisher Information and synchronisation transitions: A case-study of a finite size multi-network Kuramoto–Sakaguchi system

We analyse a Kuramoto–Sakaguchi dynamics on a two-layer multi-network using the Fisher Information which has been demonstrated in a variety of complex dynamical and thermodynamic systems to provide a lens on critical behaviour and transitions to chaos. Here we use a case-study, introduced elsewhere and thus providing a baseline, of multi-networks consisting of tree and random graphs with couplings and frequencies set at values in the vicinity of thresholds for locking, metastable and chaotic states. We observe transitions in the two-dimensional space of the frustrations in the cross-network interactions of the multi-layer system. While the Shannon entropy consistently identifies a range of transitions, the Fisher Information detects additional signals corresponding to significant changes in the microscopic dynamics. We argue that Fisher Information provides a single measure to analyse rich coupled dynamics and to detect meaningful transitions in a finite-size system that otherwise require multiple measures to establish. We support this analysis using a novel semi-analytical steady-state ansatz incorporating splay phase parameters, where the stability analysis concurs with key changes in the Fisher Information.

Spatial emergence of off-diagonal long-range order throughout the BCS-BEC crossover

In a superfluid system, Off-Diagonal Long-Range Order (ODLRO) is expected to be exhibited in the appropriate reduced density matrices when the relevant particles (either bosons or fermion pairs) are considered to recede sufficiently far apart from each other. This concept is usually exploited to identify the value of the condensate density, without explicit concern, however, on the spatial range over which this asymptotic condition can effectively be achieved. Here, based on a diagrammatic approach that includes beyond-mean-field pairing fluctuations in the broken-symmetry phase at the level of the $t$-matrix also with the inclusion of the Gorkov-Melik-Barkhudarov (GMB) correction, we present a systematic study of the two-particle reduced density matrix for a superfluid fermionic system undergoing the BCS-BEC crossover, when the entities to recede far apart from each other evolve with continuity from largely overlapping Cooper pairs in the BCS limit to dilute composite bosons in the BEC limit. By this approach, we not only provide the coupling and temperature dependence of the condensate density at the level of our diagrammatic approach which includes the GMB correction, but we also obtain the evolution of the spatial dependence of the two-particle reduced density matrix, from a power-law at low temperature to an exponential dependence at high temperature in the superfluid phase, when the inter-particle coupling spans the BCS-BEC crossover. Our results put limitations on the minimum spatial extent of a finite-size system for which superfluid correlations can effectively be established.

Droplet evaporation in finite-size systems: Theoretical analysis and mesoscopic modeling.

The classical D^{2}-Law states that the square of the droplet diameter decreases linearly with time during its evaporation process, i.e., D^{2}(t)=D_{0}^{2}-Kt, where D_{0} is the droplet initial diameter and K is the evaporation constant. Though the law has been widely verified by experiments, considerable deviations are observed in many cases. In this work, a revised theoretical analysis of the single droplet evaporation in finite-size open systems is presented for both two-dimensional (2D) and 3D cases. Our analysis shows that the classical D^{2}-Law is only applicable for 3D large systems (L≫D_{0}, L is the system size), while significant deviations occur for small (L≤5D_{0}) and/or 2D systems. Theoretical solution for the temperature field is also derived. Moreover, we discuss in detail the proper numerical implementation of droplet evaporation in finite-size open systems by the mesoscopic lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). Taking into consideration shrinkage effects and an adaptive pressure boundary condition, droplet evaporation in finite-size 2D/3D systems with density ratio up to 328 within a wide parameter range (K=[0.003,0.18] in lattice units) is simulated, and remarkable agreement with the theoretical solution is achieved, in contrast to previous simulations. The present work provides insights into realistic droplet evaporation phenomena and their numerical modeling using diffuse-interface methods.

Connecting density fluctuations and Kirkwood-Buff integrals for finite-size systems.

Kirkwood-Buff integrals (KBIs) connect the microscopic structure and thermodynamic properties of liquid solutions. KBIs are defined in the grand canonical ensemble and evaluated by assuming the thermodynamic limit (TL). In order to reconcile analytical and numerical approaches, finite-size KBIs have been proposed in the literature, resulting in two strategies to obtain their TL values from computer simulations. (i) The spatial block analysis method in which the simulation box is divided into subdomains of volume V to compute density fluctuations. (ii) A direct integration method where a corrected radial distribution function and a kernel that accounts for the geometry of the integration subvolumes are combined to obtain KBI as a function of V. In this work, we propose a method that connects both strategies into a single framework. We start from the definition of finite-size KBI, including the integration subdomain and an asymptotic correction to the radial distribution function, and solve them in Fourier space where periodic boundary conditions are trivially introduced. The limit q → 0, equivalent to the value of the KBI in the TL, is obtained via the spatial block-analysis method. When compared to the latter, our approach gives nearly identical results for all values of V. Moreover, all finite-size effect contributions (ensemble, finite-integration domains, and periodic boundary conditions) are easily identifiable in the calculation. This feature allows us to analyze finite-size effects independently and extrapolates the results of a single simulation to different box sizes. To validate our approach, we investigate prototypical systems, including SPC/E water and aqueous urea mixtures.

Glassy quantum dynamics of disordered Ising spins

We study the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the quantum Ising model with power-law interactions and positional disorder. For arbitrary dimension $d$ and interaction range $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\ge}d$ we analytically find a stretched-exponential decay of the global magnetization and ensemble-averaged single-spin purity with a stretch power $\ensuremath{\beta}=d/\ensuremath{\alpha}$ in the thermodynamic limit. Numerically, we confirm that glassy behavior persists for finite system sizes and sufficiently strong disorder. We identify dephasing between disordered coherent pairs as the main mechanism leading to a relaxation of global magnetization, whereas genuine many-body interactions lead to a loss of single-spin purity which signifies the buildup of entanglement. The emergence of glassy dynamics in the quantum Ising model extends prior findings in classical and open quantum systems, where the stretched-exponential law is explained by a scale-invariant distribution of timescales, to both integrable and nonintegrable quantum systems.

TNQMetro: Tensor-network based package for efficient quantum metrology computations

TNQMetro is a numerical package written in Python for calculations of fundamental quantum bounds on measurement precision. Thanks to the usage of the tensor-network formalism it can beat the curse of dimensionality and provides an efficient framework to calculate bounds for finite size system as well as determine the asymptotic scaling of precision in systems where quantum enhancement amounts to a constant factor improvement over the Standard Quantum Limit. It is written in a user-friendly way so that the basic functions do not require any knowledge of tensor networks. Program summaryProgram Title: TNQMetroCPC Library link to program files:https://doi.org/10.17632/wmw9xrxwgf.1Developer's repository link:https://github.com/kchabuda/TNQMetroCode Ocean capsule:https://codeocean.com/capsule/7858507Licensing provisions: MITProgramming language: PythonNature of problem: Exponential growth of the Hilbert space dimension with the number of particles involved is a serious roadblock for numerical studies of the potential of quantum enhanced metrology. It leads to an exponential growth of the computational complexity of even most elementary quantum mechanical calculations, not to mention more advanced computational tasks, such as the ones required for studying the metrological potential of quantum states, e.g. computation of the quantum Fisher information (QFI).Solution method: Thanks to the use of the tensor-network formalism, where quantum states are represented as matrix product states and operators as matrix product operators, it is possible to obtain an efficient description where space complexity scales linearly with the number of elementary particles constituting the physical system. Furthermore, it is possible to efficiently optimize QFI over quantum states and operators in those representations, applying the ideas presented in [1]. This allows to study sophisticated quantum metrological models that are beyond the grasp of the standard numerical methods utilizing the full Hilbert space representation of quantum states and operations.

Bath-induced decoherence in finite-size Majorana wires at non-zero temperature

Braiding Majorana zero-modes around each other is a promising route toward topological quantum computing. Yet, two competing maxims emerge when implementing Majorana braiding in real systems: on the one hand, perfect braiding should be conducted adiabatically slowly to avoid non-topological errors. On the other hand, braiding must be conducted fast such that decoherence effects introduced by the environment are negligible, which are generally unavoidable in finite-size systems. This competition results in an intermediate time scale for Majorana braiding that is optimal, but generally not error-free. Here, we calculate this intermediate time scale for a T-junction of short one-dimensional topological superconductors coupled to a bosonic bath that generates fluctuations in the local electric potential, which stem from, e.g. environmental photons or phonons of the substrate. We thereby obtain boundaries for the speed of Majorana braiding with a predetermined gate fidelity. Our results emphasize the general susceptibility of Majorana-based information storage in finite-size systems and can serve as a guide for determining the optimal braiding times in future experiments.