Unitary Symmetry Research Articles

Anomalies of non-invertible symmetries in (3+1)d

Anomalies of global symmetries are important tools for understanding the dynamics of quantum systems. We investigate anomalies of non-invertible symmetries in 3+1d using 4+1d bulk topological quantum field theories given by Abelian two-form gauge theories, with a 0-form permutation symmetry. Gauging the 0-form symmetry gives the 4+1d “inflow” symmetry topological field theory for the non-invertible symmetry. We find a two levels of anomalies: (1) the bulk may fail to have an appropriate set of loop excitations which can condense to trivialize the boundary dynamics, and (2) the “Frobenius-Schur indicator” of the non-invertible symmetry (generalizing the Frobenius-Schur indicator of 1+1d fusion categories) may be incompatible with trivial boundary dynamics. As a consequence we derive conditions for non-invertible symmetries in 3+1d to be compatible with symmetric gapped phases, and invertible gapped phases. Along the way, we see that the defects characterizing \mathbb{Z}_{4}ℤ4 ordinary symmetry host worldvolume theories with time-reversal symmetry \mathsf{T}𝖳 obeying the algebra \mathsf{T}^{2}=C𝖳2=C or \mathsf{T}^{2}=(-1)^{F}C,𝖳2=(−1)FC, with CC a unitary charge conjugation symmetry. We classify the anomalies of this symmetry algebra in 2+1d and further use these ideas to construct 2+1d topological orders with non-invertible time-reversal symmetry that permutes anyons. As a concrete realization of our general discussion, we construct new lattice Hamiltonian models in 3+1d with non-invertible symmetry, and constrain their dynamics.

Duality and stacking of bosonic and fermionic SPT phases

We study the interplay of duality and stacking of bosonic and fermionic symmetry-protected topological phases in one spatial dimension. In general the classifications of bosonic and fermionic phases have different group structures under the operation of stacking, but we argue that they are often isomorphic and give an explicit isomorphism when it exists. This occurs for all unitary symmetry groups and many groups with antiunitary symmetries, which we characterize. We find that this isomorphism is typically not implemented by the Jordan-Wigner transformation, nor is it a consequence of any other duality transformation that falls within the framework of topological holography. Along the way to this conclusion, we recover the fermionic stacking rule in terms of G\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\mathcal{G} $$\\end{document}-pin partition functions, give a gauge-invariant characterization of the twisted group cohomology invariant, and state a procedure for stacking gapped phases in the formalism of symmetry topological field theory.

Moments of Artin–Schreier L-functions

Abstract We compute moments of L-functions associated to the polynomial family of Artin–Schreier covers over $\mathbb{F}_q$, where q is a power of a prime p > 2, when the size of the finite field is fixed and the genus of the family goes to infinity. More specifically, we compute the $k{\text{th}}$ moment for a large range of values of k, depending on the sizes of p and q. We also compute the second moment in absolute value of the polynomial family, obtaining an exact formula with a lower order term, and confirming the unitary symmetry type of the family.

A class of Schwarz qubit maps with diagonal unitary and orthogonal symmetries

Abstract A class of unital qubit maps displaying diagonal unitary and orthogonal symmetries is analyzed. Such maps have already found a lot applications in quantum information theory. We provide a complete characterization of this class of maps showing intricate relation between positivity, operator Schwarz inequality, and complete positivity. Finally, it is shown how to generalize the entire picture beyond unital case (so called generalized Schwarz maps). Interestingly, the first example of Schwarz but not completely positive map found by Choi belongs to our class. As a case study we provide a full characterization of Pauli maps. Our analysis leads to generalization of seminal Fujiwara–Algoet conditions for Pauli quantum channels.

Emergence of unitary symmetry of microcanonically truncated operators in chaotic quantum systems.

We study statistical properties of matrix elements of observables written in the energy eigenbasis and truncated to small microcanonical windows. We present numerical evidence indicating that for all few-body operators in chaotic many-body systems, truncated below acertain energy scale, collective statistical properties of matrix elements exhibit emergent unitary symmetry. Namely, we show that below acertain scale the spectra of the truncated operators exhibit universal behavior, matching our analytic predictions, which are numerically testable for system sizes beyond exact diagonalization. We discuss operator and system-size dependence of the energy scale of emergent unitary symmetry and put our findings inthe context of previous works exploring theemergence of random-matrix behavior at small energy scales.

Orthogonal Polynomial Duality and Unitary Symmetries of Multi-species ASEP$$(q,\varvec{\theta })$$ and Higher-Spin Vertex Models via $$^*$$-Bialgebra Structure of Higher Rank Quantum Groups

Orthogonal Polynomial Duality and Unitary Symmetries of Multi-species ASEP$$(q,\varvec{\theta })$$ and Higher-Spin Vertex Models via $$^*$$-Bialgebra Structure of Higher Rank Quantum Groups

QED based on an eight-dimensional spinorial wave equation of the electromagnetic field and the emergence of quantum gravity

Quantum electrodynamics (QED) is the most accurate of all experimentally verified physical theories. How QED and other theories of fundamental interactions couple to gravity through special unitary symmetries, on which the standard model of particle physics is based, is, however, still unknown. Here we develop a coupling between the electromagnetic field, Dirac electron-positron field, and the gravitational field based on an eight-component spinorial representation of the electromagnetic field. Our spinorial representation is analogous to the well-known representation of particles in the Dirac theory but it is given in terms of 8×8 bosonic gamma matrices. In distinction from earlier works on the spinorial representations of the electromagnetic field, we reformulate QED using eight-component spinors. This enables us to introduce the generating Lagrangian density of gravity based on the special unitary symmetry of the eight-dimensional spinor space. The generating Lagrangian density of gravity plays, in the definition of the gauge theory of gravity and its symmetric stress-energy-momentum tensor source term, a similar role as the conventional Lagrangian density of the free Dirac field plays in the definition of the gauge theory of QED and its electric four-current density source term. The fundamental consequence, the Yang-Mills gauge theory of unified gravity, is studied in a separate work [], where the theory is also extended to cover the other fundamental interactions of the standard model. We devote ample space for details of the eight-spinor QED to provide solid mathematical basis for the present work and the related work on the Yang-Mills gauge theory of unified gravity. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Experimental Distributions of the Reflection Amplitude for Networks with Unitary and Symplectic Symmetries

Experimental Distributions of the Reflection Amplitude for Networks with Unitary and Symplectic Symmetries

Recent progress on non-Abelian anyons: from Majorana zero modes to topological Dirac fermionic modes

Majorana zero modes (MZMs) have been intensively studied in recent decades theoretically and experimentally as the most promising candidate for non-Abelian anyons supporting topological quantum computation (TQC). In addition to the Majorana scheme, some non-Majorana quasiparticles obeying non-Abelian statistics, including topological Dirac fermionic modes, have also been proposed and therefore become new candidates for TQC. In this review, we overview the non-Abelian braiding properties as well as the corresponding braiding schemes for both the MZMs and the topological Dirac fermionic modes, emphasizing the recent progress on topological Dirac fermionic modes. A topological Dirac fermionic mode can be regarded as a pair of MZMs related by unitary symmetry, which can be realized in a number of platforms, including the one-dimensional topological insulator, higher-order topological insulator, and spin superconductor. This topological Dirac fermionic mode possesses several advantages compared with its Majorana cousin, such as superconductivity-free and larger gaps. Therefore, it provides a new avenue for investigating non-Abelian physics and possible TQC.

A very simple derivation of Born’s rule from symmetry

We provide a simple derivation of the Born rule for transition probabilities in quantum theory from the requirement of invariance under unitary symmetry and basic probabilistic constraints, improving upon work recently published in this Journal (Hossenfelder, 2021). While this is merely a special case of a classical result by Gleason (Gleason, 1957), it is nevertheless instructive to see how the constraints imposed by unitary symmetry lead to a much simpler derivation.

Signatures of spectral crossovers in the short- and long-range spectral correlations of a disordered spin-chain with Kramers degeneracy

We investigate several distinct spectral crossovers amongst various integrable (Poissonian) and quantum-chaotic (Wigner-Dyson) limits of a $1\mathrm{D}$ disordered quantum spin ($\mathrm{S}=1/2$) model, by tuning the relative amplitudes of various Hamiltonian parameters to retain or break relevant unitary and antiunitary symmetries. The spin model consists of an isotropic and deterministic Heisenberg term, a random Ising term, an anisotropic and antisymmetric, but deterministic Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) term, and a Zeeman coupling to a random, inhomogeneous magnetic field. Since we are specially interested in crossovers involving a Gaussian symplectic ensemble (GSE) limit, we carry out all our calculations with an odd number of lattice sites (spins) that naturally results in eigenspectra with Kramers degeneracies (KD's). The various crossovers (viz., the reentrant Poissonian-to-GSE-to-Poissonian, Poissonian-to-GUE, GSE-to-GUE and the reentrant Poissonian-to-GOE-to-Poissonian crossovers) are investigated via detailed studies of both short-range (nearest-neighbour-spacings distribution, NNSD) and long-range [spectral rigidity ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}}_{3}(L)$ and number variance ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}}^{2}(L)$ ] spectral correlations, where $L$ is the spectral interval over which the long-range statistic is examined. The short-range studies show excellent agreement with RMT predictions. One of the highlights of this study is the systematic investigation of the consequences of retaining both eigenvalues corresponding to every Kramers doublet, in a crossover involving the GSE limit, and see how it evolves to a limit where the KD is naturally lifted. This is seen most clearly in the NNSD study of the GSE-to-GUE (Gaussian unitary ensemble) transition, achieved by gradually lifting the KD, using the random magnetic field. The NNSD plot in the GSE limit here exhibits a Dirac delta peak at zero splitting and a renormalized GSE hump at finite splitting, whose general analytical form and its asymptotic limit are derived. With an increasing symmetry breaking magnetic field the NNSD shows an interesting, dynamic two-peaked structure that finally converges to the standard GUE lineshape. We explain this trend in terms of a competition between the splittings amongst distinct Kramers doublets (related to unitary symmetries) and the Zeeman-like splittings induced by a breaking of the antiunitary time-reversal symmetry (TRS). This is investigated via the NNSD, the marginal spectral density (MSD) and the densities of states (DOS) for both spin models and RMT crossover matrix models. The first and the final short-range studies involve reentrant Poissonian-to-GOE(GSE)-to-Poissonian crossovers, where the final Poissonian is obtained by a many-body localization of states in the strongly disordered limit, whereas the initial Poissonian regime involve much more delocalized eigenstates. In the long-range spectral correlation studies, we shed light on the extent of agreement between our physical spin systems and RMT predictions. We find that the spin systems depart from the ideal RMT predictions for relatively finite $L\ensuremath{\sim}10\ensuremath{-}15$ at least, for the spectral rigidity and a much smaller $L\ensuremath{\sim}2\ensuremath{-}4$ for the number variance. It is further seen that the departure is usually sooner at the uncorrelated (Poissonian) upper end compared to the correlated (Wigner-Dyson) lower end. We carry out a detailed comparison between the local and the global crossover points, associated with the short-range and the long-range statistics respectively, and find that in most cases they seem to agree reasonably well, but for a few exceptions. Our studies also show that the long-range correlations may serve to distinguish between the two Poissonian limits (nonlocalized and localized) in the reentrant crossovers, which the short-range correlations fail to distinguish.

Scattering and transport properties of the three classical Wigner-Dyson ensembles at the Anderson transition.

An extensive numerical analysis of the scattering and transport properties of the power-law banded random matrix model (PBRM) at criticality in the presence of orthogonal, unitary, and symplectic symmetries is presented. Our results show a good agreement with existing analytical expressions in the metallic regime and with heuristic relations widely used in studies of the PBRM model in the presence of orthogonal and unitary symmetries. Moreover, our results confirm that the multifractal behavior of disordered systems at criticality can be probed by measuring scattering and transport properties, which is of paramount importance from the experimental point of view. Thus, a full picture of the scattering and transport properties of the PBRM model at criticality corresponding to the three classical Wigner-Dyson ensembles is provided.

Pseudo standard entanglement structure cannot be distinguished from standard entanglement structure

An experimental verification of the maximally entangled state ensures that the constructed state is close to the maximally entangled state, but it does not guarantee that the state is exactly the same as the maximally entangled state. Further, the entanglement structure is not uniquely determined in general probabilistic theories even if we impose that the local subsystems are fully equal to quantum systems. Therefore, the existence of the maximally entangled state depends on whether the standard entanglement structure (SES) is valid. To examine this issue, we introduce pseudo SES as a structure of quantum composite system under natural assumptions based on the existence of projective measurements and the existence of approximations of all maximally entangled standard states. Surprisingly, there exist infinitely many pseudo SESs different from the SES. In our setting, any maximally entangled state can be arbitrarily approximated by an entangled state that belongs to our obtained pseudo standard entanglement structure. That is, experimental verification does not exclude the possibility of our obtained pseudo standard entanglement structure that is different from the standard entanglement structure. On the other hand, such pseudo structures never possess global unitary symmetry, i.e. global unitary symmetry is essential condition for the SES.

Quantifying the performance of approximate teleportation and quantum error correction via symmetric 2-PPT-extendible channels

The ideal realization of quantum teleportation relies on having access to a maximally entangled state; however, in practice, such an ideal state is typically not available and one can instead only realize an approximate teleportation. With this in mind, we present a method to quantify the performance of approximate teleportation when using an arbitrary resource state. More specifically, after framing the task of approximate teleportation as an optimization of a simulation error over one-way local operations and classical communication (LOCC) channels, we establish a semi-definite relaxation of this optimization task by instead optimizing over the larger set of two-PPT-extendible channels. The main analytical calculations in our paper consist of exploiting the unitary covariance symmetry of the identity channel to establish a significant reduction of the computational cost of this latter optimization. Next, by exploiting known connections between approximate teleportation and quantum error correction, we also apply these concepts to establish bounds on the performance of approximate quantum error correction over a given quantum channel. Finally, we evaluate our bounds for various examples of resource states and channels.

Approximate treatment of noncommutative curvature in quartic matrix model

We study a Hermitian matrix model with the standard quartic potential amended by a tr(RΦ2) term for fixed external matrix R. This is motivated by a curvature term in the truncated Heisenberg algebra formulation of the Grosse-Wulkenhaar model — a renormalizable noncommutative field theory. The extra term breaks the unitary symmetry of the action and leads, after perturbative calculation of the unitary integral, to an effective multitrace matrix model. Accompanying the analytical treatment of this multitrace approximation, we also study the model numerically by Monte Carlo simulations. The phase structure of the model is investigated, and a modified phase diagram is identified. We observe a shift of the transition line between the 1-cut and 2-cut phases of the theory that is consistent with the previous numerical simulations and also with the removal of the noncommutative phase in the Grosse-Wulkenhaar model.

Unitary symmetries in wormhole geometry and its thermodynamics

From a geometric point of view, we show that the unitary symmetries {{,textrm{U},}}(1) and {{,textrm{SU},}}(2) stem fundamentally from Schwarzschild and Reissner–Nordström wormhole geometry through spacetime complexification. Then, we develop quantum tunneling which makes these wormholes traversable for particles. Finally, this leads to wormhole thermodynamics.

Construction of maximally-localized Wannier functions using crystal symmetry

In this study, we show two methods concerning constructions of Maximally localized Wannier functions (MLWFs) using crystal symmetry. The first one is to compute input matrices for generating MLWFs only using wavefunctions in the irreducible Brillouin zone (IBZ). This approach reduces the computational costs and the size of intermediate files in proportion to the number of k points in the IBZ. The second method is to calculate the symmetry-adapted Wannier functions that are compatible with so-called frozen window technique, that is, the procedure to disentangle band structures by forcing Bloch states in a certain energy range to be included. We demonstrate how these work in the case of Fe, Co3Sn2S2, Cu, and Nb. These methods are implemented in PW2WANNIER90 code, which interfaces Quantum-ESPRESSO with the Wannier90, and the open-source python library, SymWannier. The code supports both unitary and anti-unitary symmetry operations as well as nonsymmorphic group operations, spin-orbit couplings, and ultrasoft/PAW pseudopotentials. All of these codes are available on GitHub (https://github.com/wannier-utils-dev/symWannier).

Violation and revival of Kramers' degeneracy in open quantum systems

Kramers' theorem ensures double degeneracy in the energy spectrum of a time-reversal symmetric fermionic system with half-integer total spin. Here we are now trying to go beyond the closed system and discuss Kramers' degeneracy in open systems out of equilibrium. In this letter, we prove that the Kramers' degeneracy in interacting fermionic systems is equivalent to the degeneracy in the spectra of different spins together with the vanishing of the inter-spin spectrum. We find the violation of Kramers' degeneracy in time-reversal symmetric open quantum systems is locked with whether the system reaches thermal equilibrium. After a sudden coupling to an environment in a time-reversal symmetry preserving way, the Kramers doublet experiences an energy splitting at a short time and then a recovery process. We verified the violation and revival of Kramers' degeneracy in a concrete model of interacting fermions and we find Kramers' degeneracy is restored after the local thermalization time. By contrast, for time-reversal symmetry $\tilde{\cal T}$ with $\tilde{\cal T}^2=1$, we find although there is a violation and revival of spectral degeneracy for different spins, the inter-spin spectral function is always nonzero. We also prove that the degeneracy in spectral function protected by unitary symmetry can be maintained always.

Diagonal unitary and orthogonal symmetries in quantum theory: II. Evolution operators

We study bipartite unitary operators which stay invariant under the local actions of diagonal unitary and orthogonal groups. We investigate structural properties of these operators, arguing that the diagonal symmetry makes them suitable for analytical study. As a first application, we construct large new families of dual unitary gates in arbitrary finite dimensions, which are important toy models for entanglement spreading in quantum circuits. We then analyze the non-local nature of these invariant operators, both in discrete (operator Schmidt rank) and continuous (entangling power) settings. Our scrutiny reveals that these operators can be used to simulate any bipartite unitary gate via stochastic local operations and classical communication. Furthermore, we establish a one-to-one connection between the set of local diagonal unitary invariant dual unitary operators with maximum entangling power and the set of complex Hadamard matrices. Finally, we discuss distinguishability of unitary operators in the setting of the stated diagonal symmetry.

Realizing exceptional points of any order in the presence of symmetry

Exceptional points~(EPs) appear as degeneracies in the spectrum of non-Hermitian matrices at which the eigenvectors coalesce. In general, an EP of order $n$ may find room to emerge if $2(n-1)$ real constraints are imposed. Our results show that these constraints can be expressed in terms of the determinant and traces of the non-Hermitian matrix. Our findings further reveal that the total number of constraints may reduce in the presence of unitary and antiunitary symmetries. Additionally, we draw generic conclusions for the low-energy dispersion of the EPs. Based on our calculations, we show that in odd dimensions the presence of sublattice or pseudo-chiral symmetry enforces $n$th order EPs to disperse with the $(n-1)$th root. For two-, three- and four-band systems, we explicitly present the constraints needed for the occurrence of EPs in terms of system parameters and classify EPs based on their low-energy dispersion relations.