Detecting topological order through a continuous quantum phase transition (original) (raw)

Exact results of the quantum phase transition for the topological order

2007

In this paper a duality between the d = 2 Wen-plaquette model in a transverse field and the d = 1 Ising model in a transverse field is used to learn the nature of the quantum phase transition (QPT) between a spin-polarized phase and a topological ordered state with the string-net condensation. The QPT is not induced by spontaneous symmetry breaking and there are no conventional Landautype local order parameters. Instead the string-like non-local order parameters are introduced to describe the QPT. In particular, the duality character between the open-string and closed string for the QPT are explored.

Entanglement, fidelity, and topological entropy in a quantum phase transition to topological order

Physical Review B, 2008

We present a numerical study of a quantum phase transition from a spin-polarized to a topologically ordered phase in a system of spin-1/2 particles on a torus. We demonstrate that this non-symmetry-breaking topological quantum phase transition (TOQPT) is of second order. The transition is analyzed via the ground state energy and fidelity, block entanglement, Wilson loops, and the recently proposed topological entropy. Only the topological entropy distinguishes the TOQPT from a standard QPT, and remarkably, does so already for small system sizes. Thus the topological entropy serves as a proper order parameter. We demonstrate that our conclusions are robust under the addition of random perturbations, not only in the topological phase, but also in the spin polarized phase and even at the critical point.

Dynamical Topological Quantum Phase Transitions at Criticality

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.103.144305, 2021

The nonequilibrium dynamics of two dimensional Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, in the presence of staggered chemical potential, is investigated using the notion of dynamical quantum phase transition. We contribute to expanding the systematic understanding of the interrelation between the equilibrium quantum phase transition and the dynamical quantum phase transition (DQPT). Specifically, we find that dynamical quantum phase transition relies on the existence of massless propagating quasiparticles as signaled by their impact on the Loschmidt overlap. These massless excitations are a subset of all gapless modes, which leads to quantum phase transitions. The underlying two dimensional model reveals gapless modes, which do not couple to the dynamical quantum phase transitions, while relevant massless quasiparticles present periodic nonanalytic signatures on the Loschmidt amplitude. The topological nature of DQPT is verified by the quantized integer values of the topological order parameter, which gets even values. Moreover, we have shown that the dynamical topolocical order parameter truly captures the topological phase transition on the zero Berry curvature line, where the Chern number is zero and the two dimensional Zak phase is not the proper idicator.

Multi-critical topological transition at quantum criticality

Scientific Reports, 2021

The investigation and characterization of topological quantum phase transition between gapless phases is one of the recent interest of research in topological states of matter. We consider transverse field Ising model with three spin interaction in one dimension and observe a topological transition between gapless phases on one of the critical lines of this model. We study the distinct nature of these gapless phases and show that they belong to different universality classes. The topological invariant number (winding number) characterize different topological phases for the different regime of parameter space. We observe the evidence of two multi-critical points, one is topologically trivial and the other one is topologically active. Topological quantum phase transition between the gapless phases on the critical line occurs through the non-trivial multi-critical point in the Lifshitz universality class. We calculate and analyze the behavior of Wannier state correlation function clos...

Topological phase transition at quantum criticality

arXiv (Cornell University), 2021

Recently topological states of matter have witnessed a new physical phenomenon where both edge modes and gapless bulk coexist at topological quantum criticality. The presence and absence of edge modes on a critical line can lead to an unusual class of topological phase transition between the topological and non-topological critical phases. We explore the existence of this new class of topological phase transitions in a generic model representing the topological insulators and superconductors and we show that such transition occurs at a multicritical point i.e. at the intersection of two critical lines. To characterize these transitions we reconstruct the theoretical frameworks which include bound state solution of the Dirac equation, winding number, correlation factors and scaling theory of the curvature function to work for the criticality. Critical exponents and scaling laws are discussed to distinguish between the multicritical points which separate the critical phases. Entanglement entropy and its scaling in the real-space provide further insights into the unique transition at criticality revealing the interplay between fixed point and critical point at the multicriticalities.

A Critical Study of Quantum Phase Transition

International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 2019

We study the dynamical quantum phase transition of a critical quantum quench, in which the pre-quenched Hamiltonian, or the post quenched Hamiltonian, or both of them are set to be the critical points of equilibrium quantum phase transitions. We find a half-quantized or unquantized dynamical topological order parameter and dynamical Chern number; these results and also the existence of dynamical quantum phase transition are all closely related to the singularity of the Bogoliubov angle at the gap-closing momentum. The effects of the singularity may also be canceled out if both the prequenched and postquenched Hamiltonians are critical; then the dynamical topological order parameter and dynamical Chern number restore to integer ones. Our findings show that the widely accepted definitions of the dynamical topological order parameter and dynamical Chern number are problematic for the critical quenches in the perspective of topology, which call for new definitions of them.

Topological Frustration can modify the nature of a Quantum Phase Transition

SciPost Physics, 2022

Ginzburg-Landau theory of continuous phase transitions implicitly assumes that microscopic changes are negligible in determining the thermodynamic properties of the system. In this work we provide an example that clearly contrasts with this assumption. We show that topological frustration can change the nature of a second order quantum phase transition separating two different ordered phases. Even more remarkably, frustration is triggered simply by a suitable choice of boundary conditions in a 1D chain. While with every other BC each of two phases is characterized by its own local order parameter, with frustration no local order can survive. We construct string order parameters to distinguish the two phases, but, having proved that topological frustration is capable of altering the nature of a system's phase transition, our results pose a clear challenge to the current understanding of phase transitions in complex quantum systems.

Finite Size Effects in Topological Quantum Phase Transitions

Strongly Coupled Field Theories for Condensed Matter and Quantum Information Theory, 2020

The interest in the topological properties of materials brings into question the problem of topological phase transitions. As a control parameter is varied, one may drive a system through phases with different topological properties. What is the nature of these transitions and how can we characterize them? The usual Landau approach, with the concept of an order parameter that is finite in a symmetry broken phase is not useful in this context. Topological transitions do not imply a change of symmetry and there is no obvious order parameter. A crucial observation is that they are associated with a diverging length that allows a scaling approach and to introduce critical exponents which define their universality classes. At zero temperature the critical exponents obey a quantum hyperscaling relation. We study finite size effects at topological transitions and show they exhibit universal behavior due to scaling. We discuss the possibility that they become discontinuous as a consequence of these effects and point out the relevance of our study for real systems.