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Universal Dynamics of Inhomogeneous Quantum Phase Transitions: Suppressing Defect Formation
F J Gómez-Ruiz1,2, A Del Campo2,3,4,5
1Departamento de Física, Universidad de los Andes, A.A. 4976, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.
Physical Review Letters
|April 2, 2019
Summary
The Kibble-Zurek mechanism explains defect formation during quantum phase transitions. Inhomogeneous systems show a steeper dependence on quench rate, as demonstrated in a quantum Ising chain.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Quantum Dynamics
Background:
- The Kibble-Zurek mechanism describes defect formation during quantum phase transitions.
- Nonadiabatic dynamics and universal power laws are key concepts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate defect formation in inhomogeneous quantum systems.
- To demonstrate the universal power law dependence on quench rate in a quantum Ising chain.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of nonadiabatic dynamics across a quantum phase transition.
- Experimental demonstration in a quantum Ising chain.
Main Results:
- Causality in inhomogeneous systems reduces the effective system size for defect formation.
- The reduced density of excitations shows a steeper, universal power-law dependence on the quench rate.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms the universal power-law scaling for defect formation in inhomogeneous quantum systems.
- Findings are consistent with Kibble-Zurek mechanism predictions under specific conditions.
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