Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1609.09160 · Annals of Mathematical Sciences and Applications

The gap of Fredkin quantum spin chain is polynomially small

Ramis Movassagh

Published Jan 1, 2018• 13 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We prove a new result on the spectral gap and mixing time of a Markov chain with Glauber dynamics on the space of Dyck paths (i.e., Catalan paths) and their generalization, which we call colored Dyck paths. The proof uses the comparison theorem of Diaconis and Saloff-Coste and our previous results. Let $2n$ be the number of spins. We prove that the gap of the Fredkin quantum spin chain Hamiltonian [6, 20], is $Θ(n^{-c})$ with $c\ge2$. Our results on the spectral gap of the Markov chain are used to prove a lower bound of $O(n^{-15/2})$ on the energy of first excited state above the ground state of the Fredkin quantum spin chain. We prove an upper bound of $O(n^{-2})$ using the universality of Brownian motion and convergence of Dyck random walks to Brownian excursions. Lastly, the 'unbalanced' ground state energies are proved to be polynomially small in $n$ by mapping the Hamiltonian to an effective hopping Hamiltonian with next nearest neighbor interactions and analytically solving its ground state.

DOI
10.4310/amsa.2018.v3.n2.a5

Related papers

Entropy, gap and a multi-parameter deformation of the Fredkin spin chain

Zhao Zhang, Israel Klich

Abstract We introduce a multi-parameter deformation of the Fredkin spin 1 / 2 chain whose ground state is a weighted superposition of Dyck paths, depending on a set of parameters t i along the chain. The parameters are introduced in such a way to maintain a frustration-free system while allowing the exploration of a range of possible phases. In the case where the parameters are uniform, and a color degree of freedom is added, we establish a phase diagram with a transition between an area law and a volume law. The volume entropy obtained for half a chain is n log ⁡ s where n is the half-chain length and s is the number of colors. Next, we prove an upper bound on the spectral gap of the t > 1 , s > 1 phase, scaling as Δ = O ( ( 4 s ) n t − n 2 / 2 ) , similar to a recent a result about the deformed Motzkin model (Levine and Movassagh 2017 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor . 50 255302), albeit derived in a different way. Finally, using an additional variational argument we prove an exponential lower bound on the gap of the model for t > 1 , s = 1 , which provides an example of a system with bounded entanglement entropy and a vanishing spectral gap.

arXiv:1702.03581•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Aug 16, 2017•34 citations

Finite-size gap, magnetization, and entanglement of deformed Fredkin spin chain

Takuma Udagawa, Hosho Katsura

Abstract We investigate ground- and excited-state properties of the deformed Fredkin spin chain proposed by Salberger, Zhang, Klich, Korepin, and the authors. This model is a one-parameter deformation of the Fredkin spin chain, whose Hamiltonian is 3-local and translationally invariant in the bulk. The model is frustration-free and its unique ground state can be expressed as a weighted superposition of colored Dyck paths. We focus on the case where the deformation parameter t > 1 . By using a variational method, we prove that the finite-size gap decays at least exponentially with increasing the system size. We prove that the magnetization in the ground state is along the z -direction, namely 〈 s x 〉 = 〈 s y 〉 = 0 , and show that the z -component 〈 s z 〉 exhibits a domain-wall structure. We then study the entanglement properties of the chain. In particular, we derive upper and lower bounds for the von Neumann and Rényi entropies, and entanglement spectrum for any bipartition of the chain.

arXiv:1701.00346•Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical•Aug 11, 2017•23 citations

Criticality without Frustration for Quantum Spin-1 Chains

Sergey B. Bravyi, Libor Caha, Ramis Movassagh +2 more

Frustration-free (FF) spin chains have a property that their ground state minimizes all individual terms in the chain Hamiltonian. We ask how entangled the ground state of a FF quantum spin-s chain with nearest-neighbor interactions can be for small values of s. While FF spin-1/2 chains are known to have unentangled ground states, the case s=1 remains less explored. We propose the first example of a FF translation-invariant spin-1 chain that has a unique highly entangled ground state and exhibits some signatures of a critical behavior. The ground state can be viewed as the uniform superposition of balanced strings of left and right brackets separated by empty spaces. Entanglement entropy of one half of the chain scales as 1/2 log n+O(1), where n is the number of spins. We prove that the energy gap above the ground state is polynomial in 1/n. The proof relies on a new result concerning statistics of Dyck paths which might be of independent interest.

arXiv:1203.5801•Physical Review Letters•Nov 16, 2012•116 citations

Fredkin Spin Chain

Olof Salberger, V. E. Korepin

We introduce a new model of interacting spin 1/2. It describes interaction of three nearest neighbors. The Hamiltonian can be expressed in terms of Fredkin gates. The Fredkin gate (also known as the CSWAP gate) is a computational circuit suitable for reversible computing. Our construction generalizes the work of Ramis Movassagh and Peter Shor. Our model can be solved by means of Catalan combinatorics in the form of random walks on the upper half of a square lattice [Dyck walks]. Each Dyck path can be mapped to a wave function of the spins. The ground state is an equally weighted superposition of Dyck walks [instead of Motzkin walks]. We can also express it as a matrix product state. We further construct the model of interacting spins 3/2 and greater half-integer spins. The models with higher spins require coloring of Dyck walks. We construct SU(k) symmetric model [here k is the number of colors]. The leading term of the entanglement entropy is then proportional to the square root of the length of the lattice [like in Shor-Movassagh model]. The gap closes as a high power of the length of the lattice.

arXiv:1605.03842•WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooks•May 21, 2018•25 citations

The Spectral Gap for Some Spin Chains With Discrete Symmetry Breaking

Bruno Nachtergaele

We prove that for any finite set of generalized valence bond solid (GVBS) states of a quantum spin chain there exists a translation invariant finite-range Hamiltonian for which this set is the set of ground states. This result implies that there are GVBS models with arbitrary broken discrete symmetries that are described as combinations of lattice translations, lattice reflections, and local unitary or anti-unitary transformations. We also show that all GVBS models that satisfy some natural conditions have a spectral gap. The existence of a spectral gap is obtained by applying a simple and quite general strategy for proving lower bounds on the spectral gap of the generator of a classical or quantum spin dynamics. This general scheme is interesting in its own right and therefore, although the basic idea is not new, we present it in a system-independent setting. The results are illustrated with an number of examples. Keywords: quantum spin chains, Heisenberg model, spectral gap, symmetr...

•Jan 1, 1994•80 citations

On the Spectrum of Some Temperley-Lieb Spin Chains

Robert Ferydouni, Bruno Nachtergaele

We review mathematical results about the spectrum of spin-$s$ chains with a nearest neighbor interaction given by the projection onto the singlet state of two spin-$s$ degrees of freedom. Up to normalization, these interaction terms generate a Temperley-Lieb algebra at loop parameter $d=2s+1$. We also present several new results. First, we prove a ferromagnetic ordering of energy levels across symmetry sectors of the model, thus generalizing a previous result of Nachtergaele, Spitzer and Starr (2004) for the spin-$\tfrac12$ $XXZ$ chain. This enables us to determine a uniform lower bound on the finite volume spectral gap for these spin chains. By combining a variational estimate with Knabe's finite size criterion, we show that the exact spectral gap of the GNS Hamiltonian of the fully polarized state is $1-2/d$. Furthermore, this value serves as a lower bound for the gap of the maximally mixed ground state. Finally, we show that the ground state projectors on open chains satisfy the Jones-Wenzl recursion, thereby recovering a known result that the degeneracies are the quantum integers $[L+1]_q$ for $q+q^{-1}=d$. We discuss how the high degeneracy of the ground states allows the model to break a continuous symmetry while remaining gapped, and renders that gap unstable.

arXiv:2609.38074•Sep 29, 2026•0 citations
We prove a new result on the spectral gap and mixing time of a Markov chain with Glauber dynamics on the space of Dyck paths (i.e., Catalan paths) and their generalization, which we call colored Dyck paths. The proof uses the comparison theorem of Diaconis and Saloff-Coste and our previous results. Let 2n2n2n be the number of spins. We prove that the gap of the Fredkin quantum spin chain Hamiltonian [6, 20], is Θ(n−c)Θ(n^{-c})Θ(n−c) with c≥2c\ge2c≥2. Our results on the spectral gap of the Markov chain are used to prove a lower bound of O(n−15/2)O(n^{-15/2})O(n−15/2) on the energy of first excited state above the ground state of the Fredkin quantum spin chain. We prove an upper bound of O(n−2)O(n^{-2})O(n−2) using the universality of Brownian motion and convergence of Dyck random walks to Brownian excursions. Lastly, the 'unbalanced' ground state energies are proved to be polynomially small in nnn by mapping the Hamiltonian to an effective hopping Hamiltonian with next nearest neighbor interactions and analytically solving its ground state.
Abstract We introduce a multi-parameter deformation of the Fredkin spin 1 / 2 chain whose ground state is a weighted superposition of Dyck paths, depending on a set of parameters t i along the chain. The parameters are introduced in such a way to maintain a frustration-free system while allowing the exploration of a range of possible phases. In the case where the parameters are uniform, and a color degree of freedom is added, we establish a phase diagram with a transition between an area law and a volume law. The volume entropy obtained for half a chain is n log ⁡ s where n is the half-chain length and s is the number of colors. Next, we prove an upper bound on the spectral gap of the t > 1 , s > 1 phase, scaling as Δ = O ( ( 4 s ) n t − n 2 / 2 ) , similar to a recent a result about the deformed Motzkin model (Levine and Movassagh 2017 J. Phys. A: Math. Theor . 50 255302), albeit derived in a different way. Finally, using an additional variational argument we prove an exponential lower bound on the gap of the model for t > 1 , s = 1 , which provides an example of a system with bounded entanglement entropy and a vanishing spectral gap.
Abstract We investigate ground- and excited-state properties of the deformed Fredkin spin chain proposed by Salberger, Zhang, Klich, Korepin, and the authors. This model is a one-parameter deformation of the Fredkin spin chain, whose Hamiltonian is 3-local and translationally invariant in the bulk. The model is frustration-free and its unique ground state can be expressed as a weighted superposition of colored Dyck paths. We focus on the case where the deformation parameter t > 1 . By using a variational method, we prove that the finite-size gap decays at least exponentially with increasing the system size. We prove that the magnetization in the ground state is along the z -direction, namely 〈 s x 〉 = 〈 s y 〉 = 0 , and show that the z -component 〈 s z 〉 exhibits a domain-wall structure. We then study the entanglement properties of the chain. In particular, we derive upper and lower bounds for the von Neumann and Rényi entropies, and entanglement spectrum for any bipartition of the chain.
Frustration-free (FF) spin chains have a property that their ground state minimizes all individual terms in the chain Hamiltonian. We ask how entangled the ground state of a FF quantum spin-s chain with nearest-neighbor interactions can be for small values of s. While FF spin-1/2 chains are known to have unentangled ground states, the case s=1 remains less explored. We propose the first example of a FF translation-invariant spin-1 chain that has a unique highly entangled ground state and exhibits some signatures of a critical behavior. The ground state can be viewed as the uniform superposition of balanced strings of left and right brackets separated by empty spaces. Entanglement entropy of one half of the chain scales as 1/2 log n+O(1), where n is the number of spins. We prove that the energy gap above the ground state is polynomial in 1/n. The proof relies on a new result concerning statistics of Dyck paths which might be of independent interest.
We introduce a new model of interacting spin 1/2. It describes interaction of three nearest neighbors. The Hamiltonian can be expressed in terms of Fredkin gates. The Fredkin gate (also known as the CSWAP gate) is a computational circuit suitable for reversible computing. Our construction generalizes the work of Ramis Movassagh and Peter Shor. Our model can be solved by means of Catalan combinatorics in the form of random walks on the upper half of a square lattice [Dyck walks]. Each Dyck path can be mapped to a wave function of the spins. The ground state is an equally weighted superposition of Dyck walks [instead of Motzkin walks]. We can also express it as a matrix product state. We further construct the model of interacting spins 3/2 and greater half-integer spins. The models with higher spins require coloring of Dyck walks. We construct SU(k) symmetric model [here k is the number of colors]. The leading term of the entanglement entropy is then proportional to the square root of the length of the lattice [like in Shor-Movassagh model]. The gap closes as a high power of the length of the lattice.
We prove that for any finite set of generalized valence bond solid (GVBS) states of a quantum spin chain there exists a translation invariant finite-range Hamiltonian for which this set is the set of ground states. This result implies that there are GVBS models with arbitrary broken discrete symmetries that are described as combinations of lattice translations, lattice reflections, and local unitary or anti-unitary transformations. We also show that all GVBS models that satisfy some natural conditions have a spectral gap. The existence of a spectral gap is obtained by applying a simple and quite general strategy for proving lower bounds on the spectral gap of the generator of a classical or quantum spin dynamics. This general scheme is interesting in its own right and therefore, although the basic idea is not new, we present it in a system-independent setting. The results are illustrated with an number of examples. Keywords: quantum spin chains, Heisenberg model, spectral gap, symmetr...
We review mathematical results about the spectrum of spin-sss chains with a nearest neighbor interaction given by the projection onto the singlet state of two spin-sss degrees of freedom. Up to normalization, these interaction terms generate a Temperley-Lieb algebra at loop parameter d=2s+1d=2s+1d=2s+1. We also present several new results. First, we prove a ferromagnetic ordering of energy levels across symmetry sectors of the model, thus generalizing a previous result of Nachtergaele, Spitzer and Starr (2004) for the spin-12\tfrac1221​ XXZXXZXXZ chain. This enables us to determine a uniform lower bound on the finite volume spectral gap for these spin chains. By combining a variational estimate with Knabe's finite size criterion, we show that the exact spectral gap of the GNS Hamiltonian of the fully polarized state is 1−2/d1-2/d1−2/d. Furthermore, this value serves as a lower bound for the gap of the maximally mixed ground state. Finally, we show that the ground state projectors on open chains satisfy the Jones-Wenzl recursion, thereby recovering a known result that the degeneracies are the quantum integers [L+1]q[L+1]_q[L+1]q​ for q+q−1=dq+q^{-1}=dq+q−1=d. We discuss how the high degeneracy of the ground states allows the model to break a continuous symmetry while remaining gapped, and renders that gap unstable.