Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• The spectral form factor in the 't Hooft limit – Intermediacy versus universality

  Ward L. Vleeshouwers, Vladimir Gritsev

  SciPost Phys. Core 5, 051 (2022) · published 1 December 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Spectral Form Factor (SFF) is a convenient tool for the characterization of eigenvalue statistics of systems with discrete spectra, and thus serves as a proxy for quantum chaoticity. This work presents an analytical calculation of the SFF of the Chern-Simons Matrix Model (CSMM), which was first introduced to describe the intermediate level statistics of disordered electrons at the mobility edge. The CSMM is characterized by a parameter $ 0 \leq q\leq 1$, where the Circular Unitary Ensemble (CUE) is recovered for $q\to 0$. The CSMM was later found as a matrix model description of $U(N)$ Chern-Simons theory on $S^3$, which is dual to a topological string theory characterized by string coupling $g_s=-\log q$. The spectral form factor is proportional to a colored HOMFLY invariant of a $(2n,2)$-torus link with its two components carrying the fundamental and antifundamental representations, respectively. We check that taking $N \to \infty$ whilst keeping $q<1$ reduces the connected SFF to an exact linear ramp of unit slope, confirming the main result from arXiv:2012.11703 for the specific case of the CSMM. We then consider the `t Hooft limit, where $N \to \infty$ and $q \to 1^-$ such that $y = q^N $ remains finite. As we take $q\to 1^-$, this constitutes the opposite extreme of the CUE limit. In the `t Hooft limit, the connected SFF turns into a remarkable sequence of polynomials which, as far as the authors are aware, have not appeared in the literature thus far. A gap opens in the spectrum and, after unfolding by a constant rescaling, the connected SFF approximates a linear ramp of unit slope for all $y$ except $y \approx 1$, where the connected SFF goes to zero. We thus find that, although the CSMM was introduced to describe intermediate statistics and the `t Hooft limit is the opposite limit of the CUE, we still recover Wigner-Dyson universality for all $y$ except $y\approx 1$.

  3 citations

• Muonium-Antimuonium Conversion

  Lorenz Willmann, Klaus Jungmann

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 5, 009 (2021) · published 6 September 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The MACS experiment performed at PSI in the 1990s provided an yet unchallenged upper bound on the probability for a spontaneous conversion of the muonium atom, ${\rm M=}$($\rm{\mu^+e^-}$) , into its antiatom, antimuonium ${\overline{\rm{M}} = }$($\rm{\mu^-e^+})$. It comprises the culmination of a series of measurements at various accelerator laboratories worldwide. The experimental limits on the process have provided input and steering for the further development of a variety of theoretical models beyond the standard theory, in particular for models which address lepton number violating processes and matter-antimatter oscillations. Several models beyond the standard theory could be strongly disfavored. There is interest in a new measurement and improved sensitivity could be reached by exploiting the time evolution of the conversion process, e.g., at intense pulsed muonium sources.

  3 citations

• Thouless pumping in Josephson junction arrays

  Stavros Athanasiou, Ida Egholm Nielsen, Matteo M. Wauters, Michele Burrello

  SciPost Phys. 16, 083 (2024) · published 22 March 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Recent advancements in fabrication techniques have enabled unprecedented clean interfaces and gate tunability in semiconductor-superconductor heterostructures. Inspired by these developments, we propose protocols to realize Thouless quantum pumping in electrically tunable Josephson junction arrays. We analyze, in particular, the implementation of the Rice-Mele and the Harper-Hofstadter pumping schemes, whose realization would validate these systems as flexible platforms for quantum simulations. We investigate numerically the long-time behavior of chains of controllable superconducting islands in the Coulomb-blockaded regime. Our findings provide new insights into the dynamics of periodically driven interacting systems and highlight the robustness of Thouless pumping with respect to boundary effects typical of superconducting circuits.

  3 citations

• Enstrophy from symmetry

  Raja Marjieh, Natalia Pinzani-Fokeeva, Amos Yarom

  SciPost Phys. 12, 085 (2022) · published 9 March 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study symmetry principles associated with the approximately conserved enstrophy current, responsible for the inverse energy cascade in non relativistic 2+1 dimensional turbulence. We do so by identifying the accidental symmetry associated with enstrophy current conservation in a recently realized effective action principle for hydrodynamics. Our analysis deals with both relativistic and non relativistic effective actions and their associated symmetries.

  3 citations

• Real-space approach for the Euler class and fragile topology in quasicrystals and amorphous lattices

  Dexin Li, Citian Wang, Huaqing Huang

  SciPost Phys. 17, 086 (2024) · published 20 September 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose a real-space formalism of the topological Euler class, which characterizes the fragile topology of two-dimensional systems with real wave functions. This real-space description is characterized by local Euler markers whose macroscopic average coincides with the Euler number, and it applies equally well to periodic and open boundary conditions for both crystals and noncrystalline systems. We validate this by diagnosing topological phase transitions in clean and disordered crystalline systems with the reality endowed by the space-time inversion symmetry $\mathcal{I}_{ST}$. Furthermore, we demonstrated the topological Euler phases in quasicrystals and even in amorphous lattices lacking any spatial symmetries. Our work not only provides a local characterization of the fragile topology but also significantly extends its territory beyond $\mathcal{I}_{ST}$-symmetric crystalline materials.

  3 citations

• Escaping fronts in local quenches of a confining spin chain

  Anna Krasznai, Gábor Takács

  SciPost Phys. 16, 138 (2024) · published 29 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We consider local quenches from initial states generated by a single spin-flip in either the true or the false vacuum state of the confining quantum Ising spin chain in the ferromagnetic regime. Contrary to global quenches, where the light-cone behaviour is strongly suppressed, we find a significant light-cone signal propagating with a nonzero velocity besides the expected localised oscillating component. Combining an analytic representation of the initial state with a numerical description of the relevant excitations using the two-fermion approximation, we can construct the spectrum of post-quench excitations and their overlaps with the initial state, identifying the underlying mechanism. For confining quenches built upon the true vacuum, the propagating signal consists of superpositions of left and right-moving mesons escaping confinement. In contrast, for anti-confining quenches built upon the false vacuum it is composed of superpositions of left and right-moving bubbles which escape Wannier-Stark localisation.

  3 citations

• Enstrophy without boost symmetry

  Natalia Pinzani-Fokeeva, Amos Yarom

  SciPost Phys. 12, 136 (2022) · published 21 April 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct an approximately conserved current for $2+1$ dimensional, Aristotelian (non boost invariant), fluid flow. When Aristotelian symmetry is enhanced to Galilean symmetry, this current matches the enstrophy current responsible for the inverse cascade in incompressible fluids. Other enhancements of Aristotelian symmetry discussed in this work include Lorentzian, Carrollian and Lifshitz scale symmetry.

  3 citations

• Solution of Baxter equation for the $q$-Toda and Toda$_2$ chains by NLIE

  Olivier Babelon, Karol K. Kozlowski, Vincent Pasquier

  SciPost Phys. 5, 035 (2018) · published 18 October 2018 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We construct a basis of solutions of the scalar $\boldsymbol{ \texttt{t} }- \boldsymbol{ \texttt{Q} }$ equation describing the spectrum of the $q$-Toda and Toda$_2$ chains by using auxiliary non-linear integral equations. Our construction allows us to provide quantisation conditions for the spectra of these models in the form of thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz-like equations.

  3 citations

• Accessing CKM suppressed top decays at the LHC

  Darius A. Faroughy, Jernej F. Kamenik, Manuel Szewc, Jure Zupan

  SciPost Phys. 16, 131 (2024) · published 24 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose an extension of the existing experimental strategy for measuring branching fractions of top quark decays, targeting specifically $t\to j_q W$, where $j_q$ is a light quark jet. The improved strategy uses orthogonal $b$- and $q$-taggers, and adds a new observable, the number of light-quark-tagged jets, to the already commonly used observable, the fraction of $b$-tagged jets in an event. Careful inclusion of the additional complementary observable significantly increases the expected statistical power of the analysis, with the possibility of excluding $|V_{tb}|=1$ at $95\%$ C.L. at the HL-LHC, and accessing directly the standard model value of $|V_{td}|^2+|V_{ts}|^2$.

  3 citations

• Six-derivative Yang-Mills couplings in heterotic string theory

  Mohammad R. Garousi

  SciPost Phys. 17, 121 (2024) · published 28 October 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of the structure of six-derivative bosonic couplings in heterotic string theory. First, we determine the maximal covariant and Yang-Mills gauge invariant basis, which consists of 801 independent coupling constants. By imposing T-duality constraints on the circular reduction of these terms, we obtain 468 relations between the coupling constants at the six-derivative order and the known couplings at lower derivative orders. Through the use of field redefinitions, we are able to eliminate the remaining 333 coupling constants. Remarkably, we find that the Yang-Mills field strength only appears through the trace of two field strengths or their derivatives. Finally, we perform further field redefinition to rewrite the remaining couplings in a canonical form characterized by 85 independent couplings.

  3 citations