Quantum Levy Flights and Multifractality of Dipolar Excitations in a Random System

Fractal States of the Schwinger Model

The lattice Schwinger model, the discrete version of QED in 1+1 dimensions, is a well-studied test bench for lattice gauge theories. Here, we study the fractal properties of this model. We reveal the self-similarity of the ground state, which allows us to develop a recurrent procedure for finding the ground-state wave functions and predicting ground-state energies. We present the results of recurrently calculating ground-state wave functions using the fractal Ansatz and automized software package for fractal image processing. In certain parameter regimes, just a few terms are enough for our recurrent procedure to predict ground-state energies close to the exact ones for several hundreds of sites. Our findings pave the way to understanding the complexity of calculating many-body wave functions in terms of their fractal properties as well as finding new links between condensed matter and high-energy lattice models.

Localization and Criticality in Antiblockaded Two-Dimensional Rydberg Atom Arrays

Controllable Rydberg atom arrays have provided new insights into fundamental properties of quantum matter both in and out of equilibrium. In this work, we study the effect of experimentally relevant positional disorder on Rydberg atoms trapped in a 2D square lattice under antiblockade (facilitation) conditions. We show that the facilitation conditions lead the connectivity graph of a particular subspace of the full Hilbert space to form a 2D Lieb lattice, which features a singular flat band. Remarkably, we find three distinct regimes as the disorder strength is varied: a critical regime, a delocalized but nonergodic regime, and a regime with a disorder-induced flat band. The critical regime's existence depends crucially upon the singular flat band in our model, and is absent in any 1D array or ladder system. We propose to use quench dynamics to probe the three different regimes experimentally.

Universal Algebraic Growth of Entanglement Entropy in Many-Body Localized Systems with Power-Law Interactions

Power-law interactions play a key role in a large variety of physical systems. In the presence of disorder, these systems may undergo many-body localization for a sufficiently large disorder. Within the many-body localized phase the system presents in time an algebraic growth of entanglement entropy, S_{vN}(t)∝t^{γ}. Whereas the critical disorder for many-body localization depends on the system parameters, we find by extensive numerical calculations that the exponent γ acquires a universal value γ_{c}≃0.33 at the many-body localization transition, for different lattice models, decay powers, filling factors, or initial conditions. Moreover, our results suggest an intriguing relation between γ_{c} and the critical minimal decay power of interactions necessary for many-body localization.

Anomalous Diffusion and Localization in a Positionally Disordered Quantum Spin Array

Disorder in quantum systems can lead to the disruption of long-range order in the ground state and to the localization of the elementary excitations. Here we exhibit an alternative paradigm, by which disorder preserves long-range order in the ground state, while it localizes the elementary excitations above it, introducing a stark dichotomy between static properties-mostly sensitive to the density of states of excitations-and nonequilibrium dynamical properties-sensitive to the spatial structure of excitations. We exemplify this paradigm with a positionally disordered 2d quantum Ising model with r^{-6} interactions, capturing the internal-state physics of Rydberg-atom arrays. Disorder is found to lead to multifractality and localization of the spin-wave excitations above a ferromagnetic ground state; as a result, the spreading of entanglement and correlations starting from a factorized state exhibits anomalous diffusion with a continuously varying dynamical exponent, interpolating between ballistic and arrested transport. Our findings are directly relevant for the low-energy dynamics in quantum simulators of quantum Ising models with power-law decaying interactions.

Diffusive to Nonergodic Dipolar Transport in a Dissipative Atomic Medium

We investigate the dipole-mediated transport of Rydberg impurities through an ultracold gas of atoms prepared in an auxiliary Rydberg state. In one experiment, we continuously probe the system by coupling the auxiliary Rydberg state to a rapidly decaying state that realizes a dissipative medium. In situ imaging of the impurities reveals diffusive spreading controlled by the intensity of the probe laser. By preparing the same density of hopping partners, but then switching off the dressing fields, the spreading is effectively frozen. This is consistent with numerical simulations, which indicate the coherently evolving system enters a nonergodic extended phase. This opens the way to study transport and localization phenomena in systems with long-range hopping and controllable dissipation.

One-Dimensional Quasicrystals with Power-Law Hopping

One-dimensional quasiperiodic systems with power-law hopping, 1/r^{a}, differ from both the standard Aubry-André (AA) model and from power-law systems with uncorrelated disorder. Whereas in the AA model all single-particle states undergo a transition from ergodic to localized at a critical quasidisorder strength, short-range power-law hops with a>1 can result in mobility edges. We find that there is no localization for long-range hops with a≤1, in contrast to the case of uncorrelated disorder. Systems with long-range hops rather present ergodic-to-multifractal edges and a phase transition from ergodic to multifractal (extended but nonergodic) states. Both mobility and ergodic-to-multifractal edges may be clearly revealed in experiments on expansion dynamics.

Nonequilibrium phase transition in an open quantum spin system with long-range interaction

We investigate a nonequilibrium phase transition in a dissipative and coherent quantum spin system using the quantum Langevin equation and mean-field theory. Recently, the quantum contact process (QCP) was theoretically investigated using the Rydberg antiblockade effect, in particular, when the Rydberg atoms were excited in s states so that their interactions were regarded as being between the nearest neighbors. However, when the atoms are excited to d states, the dipole-dipole interactions become effective, and long-range interactions must be considered. Here we consider a quantum spin model with a long-range QCP, where the branching and coagulation processes are allowed not only for the nearest-neighbor pairs but also for long-distance pairs, coherently and incoherently. Using the semiclassical approach, we show that the mean-field phase diagram of our long-range model is similar to that of the nearest-neighbor QCP, where the continuous (discontinuous) transition is found in the weak (strong) quantum regime. However, at the tricritical point, we find a new universality class, which was neither that of the QCP at the tricritical point nor that of the classical directed percolation model with long-range interactions. Implementation of the long-range QCP using interacting cold gases is discussed.

Energy-level statistics in strongly disordered systems with power-law hopping

Motivated by neutral excitations in disordered electronic materials and systems of trapped ultracold particles with long-range interactions, we study energy-level statistics of quasiparticles with the power-law hopping Hamiltonian ∝ 1 / r α in a strong random potential. In solid-state systems such quasiparticles, which are exemplified by neutral dipolar excitations, lead to long-range correlations of local observables and may dominate energy transport. Focussing on the excitations in disordered electronic systems, we compute the energy-level correlation functionR 2 ( ω ) in a finite system in the limit of sufficiently strong disorder. At small energy differences the correlations exhibit Wigner-Dyson statistics. In particular, in the limit of very strong disorder the energy-level correlation function is given byR 2 ( ω , V ) = A 3 ω ω V for small frequencies ω ≪ ω V andR 2 ( ω , V ) = 1 - ( α - d ) A 1 ( ω V ω ) d α - A 2 ( ω V ω ) 2 for large frequencies ω ≫ ω V , whereω V ∝ V - α d is the characteristic matrix element of excitation hopping in a system of volume V , andA 1 ,A 2 andA 3 are coefficient of order unity which depend on the shape of the system. The energy-level correlation function, which we study, allows for a direct experimental observation, for example, by measuring the correlations of the ac conductance of the system at different frequencies.

Duality in Power-Law Localization in Disordered One-Dimensional Systems

The transport of excitations between pinned particles in many physical systems may be mapped to single-particle models with power-law hopping, 1/r^{a}. For randomly spaced particles, these models present an effective peculiar disorder that leads to surprising localization properties. We show that in one-dimensional systems almost all eigenstates (except for a few states close to the ground state) are power-law localized for any value of a>0. Moreover, we show that our model is an example of a new universality class of models with power-law hopping, characterized by a duality between systems with long-range hops (a<1) and short-range hops (a>1), in which the wave function amplitude falls off algebraically with the same power γ from the localization center.

Possible Many-Body Localization in a Long-Lived Finite-Temperature Ultracold Quasineutral Molecular Plasma

We argue that the quenched ultracold plasma presents an experimental platform for studying the quantum many-body physics of disordered systems in the long-time and finite energy-density limits. We consider an experiment that quenches a plasma of nitric oxide to an ultracold system of Rydberg molecules, ions, and electrons that exhibits a long-lived state of arrested relaxation. The qualitative features of this state fail to conform with classical models. Here, we develop a microscopic quantum description for the arrested phase based on an effective many-body spin Hamiltonian that includes both dipole-dipole and van der Waals interactions. This effective model appears to offer a way to envision the essential quantum disordered nonequilibrium physics of this system.

Fractal universality in near-threshold magnetic lanthanide dimers

Ergodic quantum systems are often quite alike, whereas nonergodic, fractal systems are unique and display characteristic properties. We explore one of these fractal systems, weakly bound dysprosium lanthanide molecules, in an external magnetic field. As recently shown, colliding ultracold magnetic dysprosium atoms display a soft chaotic behavior with a small degree of disorder. We broaden this classification by investigating the generalized inverse participation ratio and fractal dimensions for large sets of molecular wave functions. Our exact close-coupling simulations reveal a dynamic phase transition from partially localized states to totally delocalized states and universality in its distribution by increasing the magnetic field strength to only a hundred Gauss (or 10 mT). Finally, we prove the existence of nonergodic delocalized phase in the system and explain the violation of ergodicity by strong coupling between near-threshold molecular states and the nearby continuum.

Quantum Engineering of a Low-Entropy Gas of Heteronuclear Bosonic Molecules in an Optical Lattice

We demonstrate a generally applicable technique for mixing two-species quantum degenerate bosonic samples in the presence of an optical lattice, and we employ it to produce low-entropy samples of ultracold ^{87}Rb^{133}Cs Feshbach molecules with a lattice filling fraction exceeding 30%. Starting from two spatially separated Bose-Einstein condensates of Rb and Cs atoms, Rb-Cs atom pairs are efficiently produced by using the superfluid-to-Mott insulator quantum phase transition twice, first for the Cs sample, then for the Rb sample, after nulling the Rb-Cs interaction at a Feshbach resonance's zero crossing. We form molecules out of atom pairs and characterize the mixing process in terms of sample overlap and mixing speed. The dense and ultracold sample of more than 5000 RbCs molecules is an ideal starting point for experiments in the context of quantum many-body physics with long-range dipolar interactions.

Nonergodic Phases in Strongly Disordered Random Regular Graphs

We combine numerical diagonalization with semianalytical calculations to prove the existence of the intermediate nonergodic but delocalized phase in the Anderson model on disordered hierarchical lattices. We suggest a new generalized population dynamics that is able to detect the violation of ergodicity of the delocalized states within the Abou-Chakra, Anderson, and Thouless recursive scheme. This result is supplemented by statistics of random wave functions extracted from exact diagonalization of the Anderson model on ensemble of disordered random regular graphs (RRG) of N sites with the connectivity K=2. By extrapolation of the results of both approaches to N→∞ we obtain the fractal dimensions D_{1}(W) and D_{2}(W) as well as the population dynamics exponent D(W) with the accuracy sufficient to claim that they are nontrivial in the broad interval of disorder strength W_{E}<W<W_{c}. The thorough analysis of the exact diagonalization results for RRG with N>10^{5} reveals a singularity in D_{1,2}(W) dependencies which provides clear evidence for the first order transition between the two delocalized phases on RRG at W_{E}≈10.0. We discuss the implications of these results for quantum and classical nonintegrable and many-body systems.