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arXiv:2106.09046 · Science Advances

Quantum phase transition dynamics in the two-dimensional transverse-field Ising model

Markus Schmitt, Marek M. Rams, Jacek Dziarmaga, Markus Heyl, Wojciech Hubert Zurek

Published Sep 16, 2022• 99 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The quantum Kibble-Zurek mechanism (QKZM) predicts universal dynamical behavior near the quantum phase transitions (QPTs). It is now well understood for the one-dimensional quantum matter. Higher-dimensional systems, however, remain a challenge, complicated by the fundamentally different character of the associated QPTs and their underlying conformal field theories. In this work, we take the first steps toward theoretical exploration of the QKZM in two dimensions for interacting quantum matter. We study the dynamical crossing of the QPT in the paradigmatic Ising model by a joint effort of modern state-of-the-art numerical methods, including artificial neural networks and tensor networks. As a central result, we quantify universal QKZM behavior close to the QPT. We also note that, upon traversing further into the ferromagnetic regime, deviations from the QKZM prediction appear. We explain the observed behavior by proposing an extended QKZM taking into account spectral information as well as phase ordering. Our work provides a testing platform for higher-dimensional quantum simulators.

DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abl6850

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The quantum Kibble-Zurek mechanism (QKZM) predicts universal dynamical behavior near the quantum phase transitions (QPTs). It is now well understood for the one-dimensional quantum matter. Higher-dimensional systems, however, remain a challenge, complicated by the fundamentally different character of the associated QPTs and their underlying conformal field theories. In this work, we take the first steps toward theoretical exploration of the QKZM in two dimensions for interacting quantum matter. We study the dynamical crossing of the QPT in the paradigmatic Ising model by a joint effort of modern state-of-the-art numerical methods, including artificial neural networks and tensor networks. As a central result, we quantify universal QKZM behavior close to the QPT. We also note that, upon traversing further into the ferromagnetic regime, deviations from the QKZM prediction appear. We explain the observed behavior by proposing an extended QKZM taking into account spectral information as well as phase ordering. Our work provides a testing platform for higher-dimensional quantum simulators.
The Kibble-Zurek mechanism captures universality when a system is driven through a continuous phase transition. Here we study the dynamical aspect of quantum phase transitions in the Ising Field Theory where the quantum critical point can be crossed in different directions in the two-dimensional coupling space leading to different scaling laws. Using the Truncated Conformal Space Approach, we investigate the microscopic details of the Kibble-Zurek mechanism in terms of instantaneous eigenstates in a genuinely interacting field theory. For different protocols, we demonstrate dynamical scaling in the non-adiabatic time window and provide analytic and numerical evidence for specific scaling properties of various quantities. In particular, we argue that the higher cumulants of the excess heat exhibit universal scaling in generic interacting models for a slow enough ramp.
We analyze the quantum phase transitions taking place in a one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model with long-range couplings that decay algebraically with distance. We are interested in the Kibble-Zurek universal scaling laws emerging in nonequilibrium dynamics and in the potential for the unambiguous observation of such behavior in a realistic experimental setup based on trapped ions. To this end, we determine the phase diagram of the model and the critical exponents characterizing its quantum phase transitions by means of density-matrix renormalization group calculations and finite-size scaling theory, which allows us to obtain good estimates for different range of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions. Beyond critical equilibrium properties, we tackle a nonequilibrium scenario in which quantum Kibble-Zurek scaling laws may be retrieved. Here, it is found that the predicted nonequilibrium universal behavior, i.e., the scaling laws as a function of the quench rate and critical exponents, can be observed in systems comprising an experimentally feasible number of spins. Finally, a scheme is introduced to simulate the algebraically decaying couplings accurately by means of a digital quantum simulation with trapped ions. Our results suggest that quantum Kibble-Zurek physics can be explored and observed in state-of-the-art experiments with trapped ions realizing long-range Ising models.
The quantum dynamics of many-qubit systems is an outstanding problem that has recently driven significant advances in both numerical methods and programmable quantum processing units. In this work, we employ a comprehensive toolbox of state-of-the-art numerical approaches to classically simulate the dynamics of the two-dimensional transverse field Ising model. Our methods include three different tensor network techniques -- matrix product states, tree-tensor networks, and two-dimensional tensor-networks under the belief propagation approximation -- as well as time-dependent variational Monte Carlo with Neural Quantum States. We focus on two paradigmatic dynamical protocols: (i) quantum annealing through a critical point and (ii) post-quench dynamics. Our extensive results show the quantitative predictions of various state-of-the-art numerical methods providing a benchmark for future numerical investigations and experimental studies with the aim to push the limitations on classical and QPUs. In particular, our work connects classical simulability to different regimes associated with quantum dynamics in Rydberg arrays - namely, quasi-adiabatic dynamics, the Kibble-Zurek mechanism, and quantum quenches.
Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) involve transformations between different states of matter that are driven by quantum fluctuations. These fluctuations play a dominant role in the quantum critical region surrounding the transition point, where the dynamics are governed by the universal properties associated with the QPT. The resulting quantum criticality has been explored by probing linear response for systems near thermal equilibrium. While time dependent phenomena associated with classical phase transitions have been studied in various scientific fields, understanding critical real-time dynamics in isolated, non-equilibrium quantum systems is of fundamental importance both for exploring novel approaches to quantum information processing and realizing exotic new phases of matter. Here, we use a Rydberg atom quantum simulator with programmable interactions to study the quantum critical dynamics associated with several distinct QPTs. By studying the growth of spatial correlations while crossing the QPT at variable speeds, we experimentally verify the quantum Kibble-Zurek mechanism (QKZM) for an Ising-type QPT, explore scaling universality, and observe corrections beyond simple QKZM predictions. This approach is subsequently used to investigate novel QPTs associated with chiral clock model providing new insights into exotic systems, and opening the door for precision studies of critical phenomena and applications to quantum optimization.
The Kibble--Zurek mechanism captures universality when a system is driven through a continuous phase transition. Here we study the dynamical aspect of quantum phase transitions in the Ising Field Theory where the quantum critical point can be crossed in different directions in the two-dimensional coupling space leading to different scaling laws. Using the Truncated Conformal Space Approach, we investigate the microscopic details of the Kibble--Zurek mechanism in terms of instantaneous eigenstates in a genuinely interacting field theory. For different protocols, we demonstrate dynamical scaling in the non-adiabatic time window and provide analytic and numerical evidence for specific scaling properties of various quantities. In particular, we argue that the higher cumulants of the excess heat exhibit universal scaling in generic interacting models for a slow enough ramp.
Quantum phase transitions are characterized by the universal scaling laws in the critical region surrounding the transitions. This universality is also manifested in the critical real-time dynamics through the quantum Kibble-Zurek mechanism. In recent experiments on a Rydberg atom quantum simulator, the Kibble-Zurek mechanism was used to probe the nature of quantum phase transitions. In this paper, we analyze the caveats associated with this method and develop strategies to improve its accuracy. Focusing on two minimal models—transverse-field Ising and quantum three-state Potts, both in one dimension—we study the effect of boundary conditions, the location of the endpoints, and some subtleties in the definition of the kink operators. In particular, we show that the critical scaling of the most intuitive types of kinks is extremely sensitive to the correct choice of endpoint, while more advanced types of kinks exhibit remarkably robust universal scaling. Furthermore, we show that when kinks are tracked over the entire chain, fixed boundary conditions improve the accuracy of the scaling. Surprisingly, the Kibble-Zurek critical scaling appears to be equally accurate whether the fixed boundary conditions are chosen to be symmetric or antisymmetric. We also show that the density of kinks extracted in the central part of long chains obeys the predicted universal scaling for all types of boundary conditions. Finally, we test our kink definition for the Ising transition on the period-2 phase of the Rydberg model and show that it is more robust against the endpoint than the standard definition.