Free Boson Research Articles

Floquet Flux Attachment in Cold Atomic Systems.

Flux attachment provides a powerful conceptual framework for understanding certain forms of topological order, including most notably the fractional quantum Hall effect. Despite its ubiquitous use as a theoretical tool, directly realizing flux attachment in a microscopic setting remains an open challenge. Here, we propose a simple approach to realizing flux attachment in a periodically driven (Floquet) system of either spins or hard-core bosons. We demonstrate that such a system naturally realizes correlated hopping interactions and provides a sharp connection between such interactions and flux attachment. Starting with a simple, nearest-neighbor, free boson model, we find evidence-from both a coupled-wire analysis and large-scale density matrix renormalization group simulations-that Floquet flux attachment stabilizes the bosonic integer quantum Hall state at 1/4 filling (on a square lattice), and the Halperin-221 fractional quantum Hall state at 1/6 filling (on a honeycomb lattice). At 1/2 filling on the square lattice, time-reversal symmetry is instead spontaneously broken and bosonic integer quantum Hall states with opposite Hall conductances are degenerate. Finally, we propose an optical-lattice-based implementation of our model on a square lattice and discuss prospects for adiabatic preparation as well as effects of Floquet heating.

One-dimensional magnetic excitonic insulators

Abstract Dimensionality significantly affects exciton production and condensation. Despite the report of excitonic instability in one-dimensional materials, it remains unclear whether these spontaneously produced excitons can form Bose–Einstein condensates. In this work, we first prove statistically that one-dimensional condensation exists when the spontaneously generated excitons are thought of as an ideal neutral Bose gas, which is quite different from the inability of free bosons to condense. We then derive a general expression for the critical temperature in different dimensions and find that the critical temperature increases with decreasing dimension. We finally predict by first-principles GW-Bethe–Salpeter equation calculations that experimentally accessible single-chain staircase Scandocene and Chromocene wires are an antiferromagnetic spin-triplet excitonic insulator and a ferromagnetic half-excitonic insulator, respectively.

On fusing matrices associated with conformal boundary conditions

In the context of rational conformal field theories (RCFT) we look at the fusing matrices that arise when a topological defect is attached to a conformal boundary condition. We call such junctions open topological defects. One type of fusing matrices arises when two open defects fuse while another arises when an open defect passes through a boundary operator. We use the topological field theory approach to RCFTs based on Frobenius algebra objects in modular tensor categories to describe the general structure associated with such matrices and how to compute them from a given Frobenius algebra object and its representation theory. We illustrate the computational process on the rational free boson theories. Applications to boundary renormalisation group flows are briefly discussed.

Ginzburg-Landau description for multicritical Yang-Lee models

We revisit and extend Fisher’s argument for a Ginzburg-Landau description of multicritical Yang-Lee models in terms of a single boson Lagrangian with potential φ2(iφ)n. We explicitly study the cases of n = 1, 2 by a Truncated Hamiltonian Approach based on the free massive boson perturbed by PT symmetric deformations, providing clear evidence of the spontaneous breaking of PT symmetry. For n = 1, the symmetric and the broken phases are separated by the critical point corresponding to the minimal model M25\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{M}\\left(2,5\\right) $$\\end{document}, while for n = 2, they are separated by a critical manifold corresponding to the minimal model M25\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{M}\\left(2,5\\right) $$\\end{document} with M27\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{M}\\left(2,7\\right) $$\\end{document} on its boundary. Our numerical analysis strongly supports our Ginzburg-Landau descriptions for multicritical Yang-Lee models.

Entanglement entropy via double-cone regularization

This paper proposes an alternative regularization method for handling the ultraviolet behavior of entanglement entropy. Utilizing an iε prescription in the Euclidean double cone geometry, it accurately reproduces the universal behavior of entanglement entropy. The method is demonstrated in the free boson theory in arbitrary dimensions and two-dimensional conformal field theories. The findings highlight the effectiveness of the iε regularization method in addressing ultraviolet issues in quantum field theory and gravity, suggesting potential applications to other calculable quantities. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Chiral shift symmetries as an infinite tower of subleading super-shift symmetries

Chiral shift symmetries of the massless free bosons in two dimensions are global symmetries that are somewhat similar to asymptotic symmetries. They are most transparent in double-null coordinates where they are parametrized by two functions of one variable. In BMS-type coordinates, half of them appear as an infinite tower of sub-leading super-shift symmetries.

Thermodynamic formulation of vacuum energy density in flat spacetime and potential implications for the cosmological constant

We propose a thermodynamical definition of the vacuum energy density ρvac, defined as 〈vac|Tμν|vac〉 = − ρvacgμν, in quantum field theory in flat Minkowski space in D spacetime dimensions, which can be computed in the limit of high temperature, namely in the limit β = 1/T → 0. It takes the form ρvac = const ∙ mD where m is a fundamental mass scale and “const” is a computable constant which can be positive or negative depending on interaction couplings. Due to modular invariance ρvac can also be computed in a different non-thermodynamic channel where one spatial dimension is compactifed on a circle of circumference β and we confirm this modularity for free massive theories for both bosons and fermions for D = 2, 3, 4. We list various properties of ρvac that are generally required, for instance ρvac = 0 for conformal field theories, and others, such as the constraint that ρvac has opposite signs for free bosons verses fermions of the same mass, which is related to constraints from supersymmetry. Using the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz we compute ρvac exactly for 2 classes of integrable QFT’s in 2D and interpreting some previously known results. We apply our definition of ρvac to Lattice QCD data with two light quarks (up and down) and one additional massive flavor (the strange quark), and find it is negative, ρvac ≈ − (200 MeV)4. Finally we make some remarks on the Cosmological Constant Problem since ρvac is central to any discussion of it.

Local operator quench induced by two-dimensional inhomogeneous and homogeneous CFT Hamiltonians

We explore non-equilibrium processes in two-dimensional conformal field theories (2d CFTs) due to the growth of operators induced by inhomogeneous and homogeneous Hamiltonians by investigating the time dependence of the partition function, energy density, and entanglement entropy. The non-equilibrium processes considered in this paper are constructed out of the Lorentzian and Euclidean time evolution governed by different Hamiltonians. We explore the effect of the time ordering on entanglement dynamics so that we find that in a free boson CFT and RCFTs, this time ordering does not affect the entanglement entropy, while in the holographic CFTs, it does. Our main finding is that in the holographic CFTs, the non-unitary time evolution induced by the inhomogeneous Hamiltonian can retain the initial state information longer than in the unitary time evolution.

Sign uncertainty principles and low-degree polynomials

We prove an asymptotically sharp version of the Bourgain–Clozel–Kahane and Cohn–Gonçalves sign uncertainty principles for polynomials of sublinear degree times a Gaussian, as the dimension tends to infinity. In particular, we show that polynomials whose degree is sublinear in the dimension cannot improve asymptotically on those of degree at most three. This question arises naturally in the study of both linear programming bounds for sphere packing and the spinless modular bootstrap bound for free bosons.

Krylov complexity in quantum field theory, and beyond

We study Krylov complexity in various models of quantum field theory: free massive bosons and fermions on flat space and on spheres, holographic models, and lattice models with a UV-cutoff. In certain cases, we observe asymptotic behavior in Lanczos coefficients that extends beyond the previously observed universality. We confirm that, in all cases, the exponential growth of Krylov complexity satisfies the conjectured inequality, which generalizes the Maldacena-Shenker-Stanford bound on chaos. We discuss the temperature dependence of Lanczos coefficients and note that the relationship between the growth of Lanczos coefficients and chaos may only hold for the sufficiently late, truly asymptotic regime, governed by physics at the UV cutoff. Contrary to previous suggestions, we demonstrate scenarios in which Krylov complexity in quantum field theory behaves qualitatively differently from holographic complexity.

Modified bosonic integrable hierarchy

In this paper, we construct a new integrable hierarchy by using charged free boson and Friedan–Martinec–Shenker (FMS) bosonization, called modified bosonic integrable hierarchy, which is an anologue of the classical (l−l′)–th modified KP hierarchy. Firstly, the representation of glˆ∞ is given by using charged free bosons. Then the modified bosonic integrable hierarchy is proposed. Next after discussing FMS bosonizations in the language of lattice vertex algebra, bilinear equations of modified bosonic integrable hierarchy are constructed by FMS bosonization, which are rewritten into Hirota bilinear equations by using Hirota derivatives. At last, we consider solutions of this modified bosonic integrable hierarchy.

Rényi entanglement asymmetry in ( 1+1 )-dimensional conformal field theories

In this paper, we consider the Rényi entanglement asymmetry of excited states in the (1+1) dimensional free compact boson conformal field theory (CFT) at equilibrium. We obtain a universal CFT expression written by correlation functions for the charged moments via the replica trick. We provide detailed analytic computations of the second Rényi entanglement asymmetry in the free compact boson CFT for excited states Ψ=Vβ+V−β and Φ=Vβ+J with Vβ and J=i∂ϕ being the vertex operator and current operator, respectively. We make numerical tests of the universal CFT computations using the XX spin chain model. Taking the non-Hermite fake reduced density matrices into consideration, we propose an effective way to test them numerically, which can be applied to other excited states. The CFT predictions are in perfect agreement with the exact numerical calculations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Bootstrapping the effect of the twist operator in the D1D5 CFT

In the D1D5 CFT the twist operator of order 2 can twist together two copies in the untwisted sector into a single joined copy in the twisted sector. Traditionally, this effect is computed by using the covering map method. Recently, a new method was developed using the Bogoliubov ansatz and conformal symmetry to compute this effect in a toy model of one free boson. In this paper, we use this method with superconformal symmetry to compute the effect of the twist operator in the D1D5 CFT. This may provide more effective tools for computing correlation functions of twist operators in this system.

Emergent Conformal Boundaries from Finite-Entanglement Scaling in Matrix Product States.

The use of finite entanglement scaling with matrix product states (MPS) has become a crucial tool for studying one-dimensional critical lattice theories, especially those with emergent conformal symmetry. We argue that finite entanglement introduces a relevant deformation in the critical theory. As a result, the bipartite entanglement Hamiltonian defined from the MPS can be understood as a boundary conformal field theory with a physical and an entanglement boundary. We are able to exploit the symmetry properties of the MPS to engineer the physical conformal boundary condition. The entanglement boundary, on the other hand, is related to the concrete lattice model and remains invariant under this relevant perturbation. Using critical lattice models described by the Ising, Potts, and free compact boson conformal field theories, we illustrate the influence of the symmetry and the relevant deformation on the conformal boundaries in the entanglement spectrum.

Wormholes and surface defects in rational ensemble holography

We study wormhole contributions to the bulk path integral in holographic models which are dual to ensembles of rational free boson conformal field theories. We focus on the path integral on a geometry connecting two toroidal boundaries, which should capture the variance of the ensemble distribution. We show that this requirement leads to a nontrivial set of constraints which generically picks out the uniform, maximum entropy, ensemble distribution. Furthermore, we show that the two-boundary path integral should receive contributions from ‘exotic’ wormholes, which arise from the inclusion of topological surface defects.

Multi-charged moments and symmetry-resolved Rényi entropy of free compact boson for multiple disjoint intervals

We study multi-charged moments and symmetry-resolved Rényi entropy of free compact boson for multiple disjoint intervals. The Rényi entropy evaluation involves computing the partition function of the theory on Riemann surfaces with genus g > 1. This makes Rényi entropy sensitive to the local conformal algebra of the theory. The free compact boson possesses a global U(1) symmetry with respect to which we resolve Rényi entropy. The multi-charged moments are obtained by studying the correlation function of flux-generating vertex operators on the associated Riemann surface. Symmetry-resolved Rényi entropy is then obtained from the Fourier transforms of the charged moments. Rényi entropy is shown to have the familiar equipartition into local charge sectors upto the leading order. The multi-charged moments are also essential in studying the symmetry resolution of mutual information. The multi-charged moments of the self-dual compact boson and massless Dirac fermion are also shown to match for the cases when the associated reduced density moments are known to be the same. Finally, we numerically check our results against the tight-binding model.

Trace and diffeomorphism anomalies of the classical Liouville theory, Virasoro algebras, Weyl-gauging and all that

To fully clarify the invariance of the classical Liouville field theory under the Virasoro algebra, we first elucidate in detail the concept of classical anomaly, discuss the occurrence of two symmetry algebras associated to this theory, and provide some new formulae to compute the classical center in a general fashion. We apply this to the study of the symmetries of the free boson in two dimensions. Moving to Liouville, we see how this gives rise to an energy-momentum tensor with non-tensorial conformal transformations, in flat space, and a non-vanishing trace, in curved space. We provide a variety of improvements of the (local) theory, that restore Weyl invariance. With explicit computations, we show that the covariant conservation of the Weyl-invariance-improved energy-momentum tensor is lost, in general, and relate the chosen improvement with the corresponding subset of preserved diffeomorphisms. The non-tensorial transformation rule of the Weyl-invariance-improved energy-momentum tensor in curved space is explicitly back-traced to the Virasoro center.

Dynamics of charge imbalance resolved negativity after a local joining quench

In this paper, we consider the dynamics of charge imbalance resolved negativity after a local joining quench in the 1 + 1 dimensional free complex boson CFT. In the first part, we study the local joining quench by applying conformal maps, obtaining analytical universal results. We first calculate the quench dynamics of charged logarithmic negativity. Then using the Fourier transformation, we obtain the charge imbalance resolved negativity. The total negativity can be recovered from the charge-resolved ones. In the second part, we test our CFT predictions against the underlying lattice model numerically. Finally, we explain our results based on the quasi-particle picture.

Construction of free quantum fields on nested fractal space-times

Free boson quantum fields on unbounded nested fractal space-times are constructed with mathematical rigour. We verify analogous properties to the Wightman’s axioms except for those involving Poincaré invariance.

Using dark solitons from a Bose–Einstein condensate necklace to imprint soliton states in the spectral memory of a free boson gas

A possible use of matter-wave dark-soliton crystal produced by a Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) with ring geometry, to store soliton states in the quantum memory of a free boson gas, is explored. A self-defocusing nonlinearity combined with dispersion and the finite size of the BEC, favor the creation of dark-soliton crystals that imprint quantum states with Jacobi elliptic-type soliton wavefunctions in the spectrum of the free boson gas. The problem is formulated by considering the Gross–Pitaevskii equation with a positive scattering length, coupled to a linear Schrödinger equation for the free boson gas. With the help of the matter-wave dark soliton-crystal solution, the spectrum of bound states created in the free boson gas is shown to be determined by the Lamé eigenvalue problem. This spectrum consists of quantum states whose wave functions and energy eigenvalues can be unambiguously identified. Among these eigenstates some have their wave functions that are replicas of the generating dark soliton crystal.