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:2004.14930 · PRX Quantum

Quantum Dynamical Characterization and Simulation of Topological Phases With High-Order Band Inversion Surfaces

Xiang‐Long Yu, Wentao Ji, Lin Zhang, Ya Wang, Jiansheng Wu, Xiong-Jun Liu

Published May 14, 2021• 30 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

An extension of the celebrated bulk-boundary correspondence is proposed and a quantum simulator built with NV centers is experimentally used to prove an enhanced capability for studying topological physics.
DOI
10.1103/prxquantum.2.020320

Related papers

High-order band inversion surfaces in dynamical characterization of topological phases

Xiang‐Long Yu, Lin Zhang, Jiansheng Wu +1 more

How to characterize topological quantum phases is a fundamental issue in the broad field of topological matter. Based on dimension reduction approach, here we propose a new theory to characterize equilibrium topological phases by far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamics, and further report the experimental observation. For a d-dimensional (dD) topological phase with integer invariants, we show that its characterization can be reduced to lower-dimensional topological invariants in the high-order band inversion surfaces (BIS-s), of which the nth-order BIS is a (d-n)D interface in momentum space. In quenching the system from trivial phase to topological regime, we show that the quantum dynamics exhibits nontrivial topological pattern in the arbitrary nth-order BISs, which universally corresponds to and so characterizes the equilibrium topological phase of the post-quench Hamiltonian. This prediction unveils a high-order dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in the momentum space, and provides new dynamical schemes with experimental advantages to detect topological states. In particular, based on the highest-order BISs which are of zero dimension, the detection of topological phase is achieved with minimal measurements. We experimentally build up a quantum simulator using nitrogen-vacancy center to measure the high-order dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in 3D chiral topological insulator, and show the advantages of characterizing the topological phase with high-order BISs in experiment.

•Apr 30, 2020•0 citations

Quantum Simulation for Three-Dimensional Chiral Topological Insulator

Wentao Ji, Lin Zhang, Mengqi Wang +8 more

Quantum simulation, as a state-of-the-art technique, provides a powerful way to explore topological quantum phases beyond natural limits. Nevertheless, it is usually hard to simulate both the bulk and surface topological physics at the same time to reveal their correspondence. Here we build up a quantum simulator using nitrogen-vacancy center to investigate a three-dimensional (3D) chiral topological insulator, and demonstrate the study of both the bulk and surface topological physics by quantum quenches. First, a dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in momentum space is observed, showing that the bulk topology of the 3D phase uniquely corresponds to the nontrivial quench dynamics emerging on 2D momentum hypersurfaces called band inversion surfaces (BISs). This is the momentum-space counterpart of the bulk-boundary correspondence in real space. Further, the symmetry protection of the 3D chiral phase is uncovered by measuring dynamical spin textures on BISs, which exhibit perfect (broken) topology when the chiral symmetry is preserved (broken). Finally, we measure the topological charges to characterize directly the bulk topology and identify an emergent dynamical topological transition when varying the quenches from deep to shallow regimes. This work demonstrates how a full study of topological phases can be achieved in quantum simulators.

arXiv:2002.11352•Physical Review Letters•Jul 10, 2020•54 citations

Quantum Phases of Three-Dimensional Chiral Topological Insulators on a Spin Quantum Simulator

Tao Xin, Yishan Li, Yu-ang Fan +6 more

The detection of topological phases of matter has become a central issue in recent years. Conventionally, the realization of a specific topological phase in condensed matter physics relies on probing the underlying surface band dispersion or quantum transport signature of a real material, which may be imperfect or even absent. On the other hand, quantum simulation offers an alternative approach to directly measure the topological invariant on a universal quantum computer. However, experimentally demonstrating high-dimensional topological phases remains a challenge due to the technical limitations of current experimental platforms. Here, we investigate the three-dimensional topological insulators in the AIII (chiral unitary) symmetry class, which yet lack experimental realization. Using the nuclear magnetic resonance system, we experimentally demonstrate their topological properties, where a dynamical quenching approach is adopted and the dynamical bulk-boundary correspondence in the momentum space is observed. As a result, the topological invariants are measured with high precision on the band-inversion surface, exhibiting robustness to the decoherence effect. Our Letter paves the way toward the quantum simulation of topological phases of matter in higher dimensions and more complex systems through controllable quantum phases transitions.

arXiv:2001.05122•Physical Review Letters•Aug 27, 2020•44 citations

Measuring higher-order bulk topology in a programmable quantum simulator

Pratik Sathe, Niclas Heinsdorf, Majid Kheirkhah +13 more

Topological insulators lie outside the standard Landau paradigm: Instead of being characterized by local order parameters and spontaneous symmetry breaking, their defining properties are encoded in the global structure of their quantum states and manifested as robust boundary states. Crystalline higher-order topological insulators can extend this principle by hosting localized corner modes in two and higher dimensions. Although these boundary modes can be detected spectroscopically through the local density of states, determining the underlying bulk topology, for example through nested Wilson loops, remains an outstanding experimental challenge. Here we use up to 728 qubits in a superconducting analogue-digital quantum simulator to realize and probe a hierarchy of one-, two-, and three-dimensional topological insulators governed by effective tight-binding Hamiltonians. By reconstructing complex propagators from real-space measurements, we obtain complementary boundary and bulk characterizations: local densities of states reveal localized boundary modes, whereas experimentally reconstructed band projectors yield bulk topological invariants, culminating in a three-dimensional octupole moment extracted through third nested Wilson loops. These results establish a route to realizing, characterizing, and manipulating topologically protected states in programmable three-dimensional quantum matter.

quant-pharXiv:2610.16046•Oct 13, 2026•0 citations

Direct dynamical characterization of higher-order topological phases with nested band inversion surfaces

Linhu Li, Weiwei Zhu, Jiangbin Gong

arXiv:2007.05759•中国科学通报：英文版•Apr 13, 2021•31 citations

Characterizing topological phases by quantum quenches: A general theory

Long Zhang, Lin Zhang, Xiong-Jun Liu

We investigate a generic dynamical theory to characterize by quantum quenches the topological quantum phases defined for the equilibrium ground state and study the emergent topology of quantum dynamics when the quenches start from a deep trivial (far from the phase boundary) or shallow trivial (close to the phase boundary) phase to topological regimes. Two dynamical schemes are examined: One is to characterize topological phases via quantum dynamics induced by a single quench along an arbitrary axis of (pseudo)spin polarization, and the other applies a set of quenches with respect to all (pseudo)spin axes. These two schemes are both built on the so-called dynamical bulk-surface correspondence, which shows that the $d$-dimensional ($d\mathrm{D}$) topological phases with integer invariants can be characterized by the dynamical topological pattern emerging on particular $(d\ensuremath{-}1)\mathrm{D}$ momentum subspaces called band inversion surfaces (BISs). We show that the first dynamical scheme works for both deep and shallow quenches, while for the second scheme, an emergent topological transition, associated with topological charges crossing BISs, is predicted in the joint quench dynamics. A generic criterion for the emergent transition is precisely obtained. Above the criterion (deep quench regime), quantum dynamics on BISs can directly characterize the topology of the postquench Hamiltonian. Below the criterion (shallow quench regime), the quench dynamics may depict a new dynamical topology; the postquench topology can be characterized by the emergent topological invariant plus the total charges moving outside the region enclosed by BISs. We illustrate our results by numerically calculating the 2D quantum anomalous Hall model, which has been realized in ultracold atoms. This work broadens the way to classify topological phases by nonequilibrium quantum dynamics and is feasible for experimental realization.

arXiv:1907.08840•Physical Review A•Dec 10, 2019•37 citations
How to characterize topological quantum phases is a fundamental issue in the broad field of topological matter. Based on dimension reduction approach, here we propose a new theory to characterize equilibrium topological phases by far-from-equilibrium quantum dynamics, and further report the experimental observation. For a d-dimensional (dD) topological phase with integer invariants, we show that its characterization can be reduced to lower-dimensional topological invariants in the high-order band inversion surfaces (BIS-s), of which the nth-order BIS is a (d-n)D interface in momentum space. In quenching the system from trivial phase to topological regime, we show that the quantum dynamics exhibits nontrivial topological pattern in the arbitrary nth-order BISs, which universally corresponds to and so characterizes the equilibrium topological phase of the post-quench Hamiltonian. This prediction unveils a high-order dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in the momentum space, and provides new dynamical schemes with experimental advantages to detect topological states. In particular, based on the highest-order BISs which are of zero dimension, the detection of topological phase is achieved with minimal measurements. We experimentally build up a quantum simulator using nitrogen-vacancy center to measure the high-order dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in 3D chiral topological insulator, and show the advantages of characterizing the topological phase with high-order BISs in experiment.
Quantum simulation, as a state-of-the-art technique, provides a powerful way to explore topological quantum phases beyond natural limits. Nevertheless, it is usually hard to simulate both the bulk and surface topological physics at the same time to reveal their correspondence. Here we build up a quantum simulator using nitrogen-vacancy center to investigate a three-dimensional (3D) chiral topological insulator, and demonstrate the study of both the bulk and surface topological physics by quantum quenches. First, a dynamical bulk-surface correspondence in momentum space is observed, showing that the bulk topology of the 3D phase uniquely corresponds to the nontrivial quench dynamics emerging on 2D momentum hypersurfaces called band inversion surfaces (BISs). This is the momentum-space counterpart of the bulk-boundary correspondence in real space. Further, the symmetry protection of the 3D chiral phase is uncovered by measuring dynamical spin textures on BISs, which exhibit perfect (broken) topology when the chiral symmetry is preserved (broken). Finally, we measure the topological charges to characterize directly the bulk topology and identify an emergent dynamical topological transition when varying the quenches from deep to shallow regimes. This work demonstrates how a full study of topological phases can be achieved in quantum simulators.
The detection of topological phases of matter has become a central issue in recent years. Conventionally, the realization of a specific topological phase in condensed matter physics relies on probing the underlying surface band dispersion or quantum transport signature of a real material, which may be imperfect or even absent. On the other hand, quantum simulation offers an alternative approach to directly measure the topological invariant on a universal quantum computer. However, experimentally demonstrating high-dimensional topological phases remains a challenge due to the technical limitations of current experimental platforms. Here, we investigate the three-dimensional topological insulators in the AIII (chiral unitary) symmetry class, which yet lack experimental realization. Using the nuclear magnetic resonance system, we experimentally demonstrate their topological properties, where a dynamical quenching approach is adopted and the dynamical bulk-boundary correspondence in the momentum space is observed. As a result, the topological invariants are measured with high precision on the band-inversion surface, exhibiting robustness to the decoherence effect. Our Letter paves the way toward the quantum simulation of topological phases of matter in higher dimensions and more complex systems through controllable quantum phases transitions.
Topological insulators lie outside the standard Landau paradigm: Instead of being characterized by local order parameters and spontaneous symmetry breaking, their defining properties are encoded in the global structure of their quantum states and manifested as robust boundary states. Crystalline higher-order topological insulators can extend this principle by hosting localized corner modes in two and higher dimensions. Although these boundary modes can be detected spectroscopically through the local density of states, determining the underlying bulk topology, for example through nested Wilson loops, remains an outstanding experimental challenge. Here we use up to 728 qubits in a superconducting analogue-digital quantum simulator to realize and probe a hierarchy of one-, two-, and three-dimensional topological insulators governed by effective tight-binding Hamiltonians. By reconstructing complex propagators from real-space measurements, we obtain complementary boundary and bulk characterizations: local densities of states reveal localized boundary modes, whereas experimentally reconstructed band projectors yield bulk topological invariants, culminating in a three-dimensional octupole moment extracted through third nested Wilson loops. These results establish a route to realizing, characterizing, and manipulating topologically protected states in programmable three-dimensional quantum matter.
We investigate a generic dynamical theory to characterize by quantum quenches the topological quantum phases defined for the equilibrium ground state and study the emergent topology of quantum dynamics when the quenches start from a deep trivial (far from the phase boundary) or shallow trivial (close to the phase boundary) phase to topological regimes. Two dynamical schemes are examined: One is to characterize topological phases via quantum dynamics induced by a single quench along an arbitrary axis of (pseudo)spin polarization, and the other applies a set of quenches with respect to all (pseudo)spin axes. These two schemes are both built on the so-called dynamical bulk-surface correspondence, which shows that the ddd-dimensional (dDd\mathrm{D}dD) topological phases with integer invariants can be characterized by the dynamical topological pattern emerging on particular $(d\ensuremath{-}1)\mathrm{D}$ momentum subspaces called band inversion surfaces (BISs). We show that the first dynamical scheme works for both deep and shallow quenches, while for the second scheme, an emergent topological transition, associated with topological charges crossing BISs, is predicted in the joint quench dynamics. A generic criterion for the emergent transition is precisely obtained. Above the criterion (deep quench regime), quantum dynamics on BISs can directly characterize the topology of the postquench Hamiltonian. Below the criterion (shallow quench regime), the quench dynamics may depict a new dynamical topology; the postquench topology can be characterized by the emergent topological invariant plus the total charges moving outside the region enclosed by BISs. We illustrate our results by numerically calculating the 2D quantum anomalous Hall model, which has been realized in ultracold atoms. This work broadens the way to classify topological phases by nonequilibrium quantum dynamics and is feasible for experimental realization.