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:2310.11425 · Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics

Remarks on Effects of Projective Phase on Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis

Osamu Fukushima

Published Mar 12, 2024• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract The existence of p-form symmetry in a (d + 1)-dimensional quantum field is known to always lead to the breakdown of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for certain (d − p)-dimensional operators other than symmetry operators under some assumptions. The assumptions include the mixing of symmetry sectors within a given energy shell, which is rather challenging to verify because it requires information on the eigenstates in the middle of the spectrum. We reconsider this assumption from the viewpoint of projective representations to avoid this difficulty. In the case of $\mathbb {Z}_N$ symmetries, we can circumvent the difficulty by considering $\mathbb {Z}_N\times \mathbb {Z}_N$-symmetric theories with nontrivial projective phases, and perturbing the Hamiltonian while preserving one of the $\mathbb {Z}_N$ symmetries of our interest. We also perform numerical analyses for (1 + 1)-dimensional spin chains and the (2 + 1)-dimensional $\mathbb {Z}_2$ lattice gauge theory.

DOI
10.1093/ptep/ptae039

Related papers

Violation of Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis in Quantum Field Theories with Higher-Form Symmetry

Osamu Fukushima, Ryusuke Hamazaki

We elucidate how the presence of higher-form symmetries affects the dynamics of thermalization in isolated quantum systems. Under reasonable assumptions, we analytically show that a p-form symmetry in a (d+1)-dimensional quantum field theory leads to the breakdown of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for many nontrivial (d-p)-dimensional observables. For discrete higher-form (i.e., p≥1) symmetry, this indicates the absence of thermalization for observables that are nonlocal but much smaller than the whole system size without any local conserved quantities. We numerically demonstrate this argument for the (2+1)-dimensional Z_{2} lattice gauge theory. While local observables such as the plaquette operator thermalize even for mixed symmetry sectors, the nonlocal observable exciting a magnetic dipole instead relaxes to the generalized Gibbs ensemble that takes account of the Z_{2} one-form symmetry.

arXiv:2305.04984•Physical Review Letters•Sep 29, 2023•10 citations

Eigenstate thermalization in ( 2 + 1 )-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory

Lukas Ebner, Andreas Schäfer A, Clemens Seidl +2 more

We present preliminary numerical evidence for the hypothesis that the Hamiltonian SU(2) gauge theory discretized on a lattice obeys the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). To do so we study three approximations: (a) a linear plaquette chain in a reduced Hilbert space limiting the electric field basis to j = 0 , 1 2 , (b) a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice with periodic or closed boundary condition and the same Hilbert space constraint, and (c) a chain of only three plaquettes but such a sufficiently large electric field Hilbert space ( j ≤ 7 2 ) that convergence of all energy eigenvalues in the analyzed energy window is observed. While an unconstrained Hilbert space is required to reach the continuum limit of SU(2) gauge theory, numerical resource constraints do not permit us to realize this requirement for all values of the coupling constant and large lattices. In each of the three studied cases we check first for random matrix theory (RMT) behavior in the eigenenergy spectrum and then analyze the diagonal as well as the off-diagonal matrix elements between energy eigenstates for a few operators. Within current uncertainties all results for (a), (b) and (c) agree with ETH predictions. Furthermore, we find the off-diagonal matrix elements of the electric energy operator exhibit RMT behavior in frequency windows that are small enough in (b) and (c). To unambiguously establish ETH behavior and determine for which class of operators it applies, an extension of our investigations is necessary. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

arXiv:2308.16202•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Jan 9, 2024•27 citations

Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis with projective representation

Soma Onoda, Osamu Fukushima, Ryusuke Hamazaki +1 more

A bstract The Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (ETH) provides a sufficient condition for thermalization of isolated quantum systems. While the standard ETH is formulated in the absence of degeneracy, physical systems often possess symmetries that induce degenerate energy eigenstates. In this paper, we investigate ETH in the presence of nontrivial projective representations of Abelian symmetries, which arise naturally from ’t Hooft anomalies. We argue that such projective structures can lead to degenerate excited states, and how the ETH can be formulated under such degeneracies. In the presence of projective charges supplied by symmetry operators, our projective-representation ETH indicates that the stationary values of the operators are described by the generalized Gibbs ensemble instead of the standard Gibbs ensemble. Our findings elucidate the role of symmetry and degeneracy in quantum thermalization and pave the way for further exploration of the ETH in anomalous symmetry settings.

arXiv:2509.01931•Journal of High Energy Physics•Jun 12, 2026•1 citation

Comment on “Systematic Construction of Counterexamples to the Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis”

Rubem Mondaini, Krishnanand Mallayya, Léa Ferreira dos Santos +1 more

In a recent Letter [PhysRevLett.119.030601 (2017), arXiv:1702.08227], Shiraishi and Mori claim to provide a general method for constructing local Hamiltonians that do not exhibit eigenstate thermalization. We argue that the claim is based on a misunderstanding of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). More specifically, on the assumption that ETH is valid for the entire Hamiltonian matrix instead of each symmetry sector independently. We discuss what happens if one mixes symmetry sectors in the two-dimensional transverse field Ising model.

arXiv:1711.06279•Physical Review Letters•Jul 17, 2018•35 citations

Eigenstate thermalization hypothesis in two-dimensional XXZ model with or without SU(2) symmetry

Jae Dong Noh

We investigate the eigenstate thermalization properties of the spin-1/2 XXZ model in two-dimensional rectangular lattices of size L_{1}×L_{2} under periodic boundary conditions. Exploiting the symmetry property, we can perform an exact diagonalization study of the energy eigenvalues up to system size 4×7 and of the energy eigenstates up to 4×6. Numerical analysis of the Hamiltonian eigenvalue spectrum and matrix elements of an observable in the Hamiltonian eigenstate basis supports that the two-dimensional XXZ model follows the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. When the spin interaction is isotropic, the XXZ model Hamiltonian conserves the total spin and has SU(2) symmetry. We show that the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis is still valid within each subspace where the total spin is a good quantum number.

arXiv:2210.14589•Physical review. E•Jan 19, 2023•14 citations

SU(2) gauge theory in 2 + 1 dimensions on a plaquette chain obeys the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis

Xiaojun Yao

We test the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) for $2+1$ dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory. By considering the theory on a chain of plaquettes and truncating basis states for link variables at $j=1/2$, we can map it onto a quantum spin chain with local interactions and numerically exactly diagonalize the Hamiltonian for reasonably large lattice sizes. We find energy level repulsion in momentum sectors with no remaining discrete symmetry. We study two local observables made up of Wilson loops and calculate their matrix elements in the energy eigenbasis, which are shown consistent with the ETH.

arXiv:2303.14264•Physical review. D/Physical review. D.•Aug 18, 2023•34 citations
Abstract The existence of p-form symmetry in a (d + 1)-dimensional quantum field is known to always lead to the breakdown of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for certain (d − p)-dimensional operators other than symmetry operators under some assumptions. The assumptions include the mixing of symmetry sectors within a given energy shell, which is rather challenging to verify because it requires information on the eigenstates in the middle of the spectrum. We reconsider this assumption from the viewpoint of projective representations to avoid this difficulty. In the case of ZN\mathbb {Z}_NZN​ symmetries, we can circumvent the difficulty by considering ZN×ZN\mathbb {Z}_N\times \mathbb {Z}_NZN​×ZN​-symmetric theories with nontrivial projective phases, and perturbing the Hamiltonian while preserving one of the ZN\mathbb {Z}_NZN​ symmetries of our interest. We also perform numerical analyses for (1 + 1)-dimensional spin chains and the (2 + 1)-dimensional Z2\mathbb {Z}_2Z2​ lattice gauge theory.
We elucidate how the presence of higher-form symmetries affects the dynamics of thermalization in isolated quantum systems. Under reasonable assumptions, we analytically show that a p-form symmetry in a (d+1)-dimensional quantum field theory leads to the breakdown of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis for many nontrivial (d-p)-dimensional observables. For discrete higher-form (i.e., p≥1) symmetry, this indicates the absence of thermalization for observables that are nonlocal but much smaller than the whole system size without any local conserved quantities. We numerically demonstrate this argument for the (2+1)-dimensional Z_{2} lattice gauge theory. While local observables such as the plaquette operator thermalize even for mixed symmetry sectors, the nonlocal observable exciting a magnetic dipole instead relaxes to the generalized Gibbs ensemble that takes account of the Z_{2} one-form symmetry.
We present preliminary numerical evidence for the hypothesis that the Hamiltonian SU(2) gauge theory discretized on a lattice obeys the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). To do so we study three approximations: (a) a linear plaquette chain in a reduced Hilbert space limiting the electric field basis to j = 0 , 1 2 , (b) a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice with periodic or closed boundary condition and the same Hilbert space constraint, and (c) a chain of only three plaquettes but such a sufficiently large electric field Hilbert space ( j ≤ 7 2 ) that convergence of all energy eigenvalues in the analyzed energy window is observed. While an unconstrained Hilbert space is required to reach the continuum limit of SU(2) gauge theory, numerical resource constraints do not permit us to realize this requirement for all values of the coupling constant and large lattices. In each of the three studied cases we check first for random matrix theory (RMT) behavior in the eigenenergy spectrum and then analyze the diagonal as well as the off-diagonal matrix elements between energy eigenstates for a few operators. Within current uncertainties all results for (a), (b) and (c) agree with ETH predictions. Furthermore, we find the off-diagonal matrix elements of the electric energy operator exhibit RMT behavior in frequency windows that are small enough in (b) and (c). To unambiguously establish ETH behavior and determine for which class of operators it applies, an extension of our investigations is necessary. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
A bstract The Eigenstate Thermalization Hypothesis (ETH) provides a sufficient condition for thermalization of isolated quantum systems. While the standard ETH is formulated in the absence of degeneracy, physical systems often possess symmetries that induce degenerate energy eigenstates. In this paper, we investigate ETH in the presence of nontrivial projective representations of Abelian symmetries, which arise naturally from ’t Hooft anomalies. We argue that such projective structures can lead to degenerate excited states, and how the ETH can be formulated under such degeneracies. In the presence of projective charges supplied by symmetry operators, our projective-representation ETH indicates that the stationary values of the operators are described by the generalized Gibbs ensemble instead of the standard Gibbs ensemble. Our findings elucidate the role of symmetry and degeneracy in quantum thermalization and pave the way for further exploration of the ETH in anomalous symmetry settings.
In a recent Letter [PhysRevLett.119.030601 (2017), arXiv:1702.08227], Shiraishi and Mori claim to provide a general method for constructing local Hamiltonians that do not exhibit eigenstate thermalization. We argue that the claim is based on a misunderstanding of the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH). More specifically, on the assumption that ETH is valid for the entire Hamiltonian matrix instead of each symmetry sector independently. We discuss what happens if one mixes symmetry sectors in the two-dimensional transverse field Ising model.
We investigate the eigenstate thermalization properties of the spin-1/2 XXZ model in two-dimensional rectangular lattices of size L_{1}×L_{2} under periodic boundary conditions. Exploiting the symmetry property, we can perform an exact diagonalization study of the energy eigenvalues up to system size 4×7 and of the energy eigenstates up to 4×6. Numerical analysis of the Hamiltonian eigenvalue spectrum and matrix elements of an observable in the Hamiltonian eigenstate basis supports that the two-dimensional XXZ model follows the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis. When the spin interaction is isotropic, the XXZ model Hamiltonian conserves the total spin and has SU(2) symmetry. We show that the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis is still valid within each subspace where the total spin is a good quantum number.
We test the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) for 2+12+12+1 dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory. By considering the theory on a chain of plaquettes and truncating basis states for link variables at j=1/2j=1/2j=1/2, we can map it onto a quantum spin chain with local interactions and numerically exactly diagonalize the Hamiltonian for reasonably large lattice sizes. We find energy level repulsion in momentum sectors with no remaining discrete symmetry. We study two local observables made up of Wilson loops and calculate their matrix elements in the energy eigenbasis, which are shown consistent with the ETH.