Decay of a metastable phase in (1+1)-dimensions

False vacuum decay describes the relaxation of a metastable state through the nucleation and growth of bubbles of the stable phase. Despite describing a broad variety of phenomena across different fields, the quantum version of the nucleation theory has little experimental or numerical support. Testing its predictions is particularly important in two or more spatial dimensions, where bubble nucleation acquires its true geometrical nature. Here, we study false vacuum decay in the quantum Ising model in two dimensions. Through tree tensor network simulations we extract the decay rate, the effective interface tension and the critical bubble size. We compare them to new semi-classical field theory calculations, and find excellent agreement. These results provide numerical evidence that the critical-bubble picture survives in an interacting quantum spin system in 2+1 dimensions.False vacuum decay describes the relaxation of a metastable state through the nucleation and growth of bubbles of the stable phase. Despite describing a broad variety of phenomena across different fields, the quantum version of the nucleation theory has little experimental or numerical support. Testing its predictions is particularly important in two or more spatial dimensions, where bubble nucleation acquires its true geometrical nature. Here, we study false vacuum decay in the quantum Ising model in two dimensions. Through tree tensor network simulations we extract the decay rate, the effective interface tension and the critical bubble size. We compare them to new semi-classical field theory calculations, and find excellent agreement. These results provide numerical evidence that the critical-bubble picture survives in an interacting quantum spin system in 2+1 dimensions.

quant-pharXiv:2607.01994Jul 3, 20260 citations

Metastability in the two-dimensional ising model

R. J. McCraw, Lawrence S. Schulman

Journal of Statistical PhysicsMar 1, 197825 citations

Metastability in spin-polarized Fermi gases and quasiparticle decays

K Sadeghzadeh, Georg M. Bruun, C Lobo +2 more

The metastability associated with the first-order transition from the normal to the superfluid phase is investigated in the phase diagram of two-component polarized Fermi gases. We begin by detailing the dominant decay processes of single quasiparticles, determining the momentum thresholds of each process and calculating their rates. This understanding is then applied to a Fermi sea of polarons, and we predict a region of metastability for the normal partially polarized phase. We propose experiments to observe the threshold of the metastable region, the interaction strength at which the quasiparticle ground state changes character, and the decay rate of polarons.The metastability associated with the first-order transition from the normal to the superfluid phase is investigated in the phase diagram of two-component polarized Fermi gases. We begin by detailing the dominant decay processes of single quasiparticles, determining the momentum thresholds of each process and calculating their rates. This understanding is then applied to a Fermi sea of polarons, and we predict a region of metastability for the normal partially polarized phase. We propose experiments to observe the threshold of the metastable region, the interaction strength at which the quasiparticle ground state changes character, and the decay rate of polarons.

arXiv:1012.0484New Journal of PhysicsMay 24, 20115 citations

Metastable Phases and Perturbation Expansions

Miguel Calvo

Springer eBooksJan 1, 19800 citations

First-order phase transition in an approximately one-dimensional system

V. N. Bogomolov, E.V. Kolla, Yu. A. Kumzerov

ZhETF Pisma RedaktsiiuJan 1, 19853 citations

Decay of the metastable phase in d = 1 and d = 2 Ising models

S. B. Rutkevich

We calculate perturbatively the tunneling decay rate $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ of the metastable phase in the quantum $d=1$ Ising model in a skew magnetic field near the coexistence line $0<{h}_{x}<1, {h}_{z}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}0$ at $T=0.$ It is shown that $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ oscillates in the magnetic field ${h}_{z}$ due to discreteness of the excitation energy spectrum. After mapping of the obtained results onto the extreme anisotropic $d=2$ Ising model at $T<{T}_{c},$ we verify in the latter model the droplet theory predictions for the free energy analytically continued to the metastable phase. We also find evidence for the discrete-lattice corrections in this metastable phase free energy.We calculate perturbatively the tunneling decay rate $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ of the metastable phase in the quantum $d=1$ Ising model in a skew magnetic field near the coexistence line $0<{h}_{x}<1, {h}_{z}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}0$ at $T=0.$ It is shown that $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ oscillates in the magnetic field ${h}_{z}$ due to discreteness of the excitation energy spectrum. After mapping of the obtained results onto the extreme anisotropic $d=2$ Ising model at $T<{T}_{c},$ we verify in the latter model the droplet theory predictions for the free energy analytically continued to the metastable phase. We also find evidence for the discrete-lattice corrections in this metastable phase free energy.

arXiv:cond-mat/9904059Physical review. B, Condensed matterDec 1, 199949 citations

We calculate perturbatively the tunneling decay rate $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ of the metastable phase in the quantum

d=1

Ising model in a skew magnetic field near the coexistence line $0<{h}_{x}<1, {h}_{z}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}0$ at

T=0.

It is shown that $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ oscillates in the magnetic field

{h}_{z}

due to discreteness of the excitation energy spectrum. After mapping of the obtained results onto the extreme anisotropic

d=2

Ising model at

T<{T}_{c},

we verify in the latter model the droplet theory predictions for the free energy analytically continued to the metastable phase. We also find evidence for the discrete-lattice corrections in this metastable phase free energy.