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High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
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Reversible Phasonic Control of a Quantum Phase Transition in a Quasicrystal
Toshihiko Shimasaki1, Yifei Bai1, H Esat Kondakci1
1Department of Physics, <a href="https://ror.org/02t274463">University of California, Santa Barbara</a>, California 93106, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|September 6, 2024
Summary
Researchers dynamically tuned quantum quasicrystal properties, controlling a quantum phase transition between localized and delocalized states. This demonstrates a new method for controlling quantum matter using periodic driving.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Condensed matter physics
- Cold atom experiments
Background:
- Periodic driving can alter quantum matter properties.
- Dynamical control of tunneling is a known phenomenon.
- Quasicrystals exhibit unique properties influenced by disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of driving the phasonic degree of freedom in cold-atom quasicrystals.
- To demonstrate continuous tuning of quasidisorder strength.
- To reversibly control a quantum phase transition (localization-delocalization).
Main Methods:
- Experimental realization using cold-atom quasicrystals.
- Applying periodic driving to the phasonic degree of freedom.
- Measuring quasidisorder strength and phase transitions.
- Comparing experimental results with theoretical predictions.
Main Results:
- Continuous and reversible tuning of effective quasidisorder strength was achieved.
- A localization-delocalization quantum phase transition was toggled.
- Experimental data showed excellent agreement with fit-parameter-free theoretical predictions.
- A fundamental connection between 1D Aubry-André localization and 2D dynamic localization was illuminated.
Conclusions:
- Periodic driving offers a powerful tool for controlling quantum phase transitions in quasicrystals.
- This work establishes a link between different localization phenomena.
- The findings open avenues for dynamical coherent control of quantum systems.
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