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Activating Many-Body Localization in Solids by Driving with Light
Zala Lenarčič1,2, Ehud Altman2, Achim Rosch1
1Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Cologne, D-50937 Cologne, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|January 13, 2019
Summary
Many-body localization (MBL) in disordered solids can be detected by driving the system out of equilibrium. Temperature variations reveal the MBL phase, even with phonon coupling.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Mechanics
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Many-body localization (MBL) is a quantum phenomenon where a system fails to thermalize.
- In disordered solids, coupling to phonons typically prevents MBL by causing decay of local conservation laws.
- Strong disorder alone is insufficient to guarantee MBL in the presence of phonons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if MBL can be stabilized or detected in disordered solids despite phonon coupling.
- To explore methods for overcoming the destructive effect of phonons on MBL.
- To identify new signatures for detecting MBL phases and transitions.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of a one-dimensional disordered spin chain coupled to a phonon bath.
- Driving the system out of equilibrium via weak irradiation with white light.
- Analyzing local temperature variations as a probe of system dynamics.
Main Results:
- The decay of local conservation laws due to phonon coupling can be compensated by driving the system out of equilibrium.
- Irradiation induces significant local temperature variations specifically within the MBL phase.
- These temperature variations act as characteristic fingerprints of the MBL phase, distinct from the ergodic phase.
Conclusions:
- Local temperature variations induced by non-equilibrium driving serve as a robust indicator for detecting MBL phases.
- This method allows for the identification of the MBL phase transition and the measurement of the MBL correlation length.
- The findings offer a new pathway to experimentally probe MBL in realistic solid-state systems.
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