journal article·2023-06-15Open access

Quantum spin helices more stable than the ground state: Onset of helical protection

Stefan Kühn, Felix Gerken, Lena Funcke, Tobias Hartung, Paolo Stornati, Karl Jansen, Thore Posske

Physical Review B· Volume 107· Issue 21

Abstract

Topological magnetic structures are promising candidates for resilient information storage. An elementary example is spin helices in one-dimensional easy-plane quantum magnets. To quantify their stability, we numerically implement the stochastic Schr\"odinger equation and time-dependent perturbation theory for spin chains with fluctuating local magnetic fields. We find two classes of quantum spin helices that can reach and even exceed ground-state stability: spin-current-maximizing helices and, for fine-tuned boundary conditions, the recently discovered ``phantom helices.'' Beyond that, we show that the helicity itself (left or right rotating) is even more stable. We explain these findings by separated helical sectors and connect them to topological sectors in continuous spin systems. The resulting helical protection mechanism is a promising phenomenon for stabilizing helical quantum structures, e.g., in ultracold atoms and solid-state systems. We also identify a third type of phantom helix in the system.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Quantum and electron transport phenomena · Quantum many-body systems · Topological Materials and Phenomena

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Computation-Based Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Kavafi Street, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus

Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Platanenallee 6, 15738 Zeuthen, Germany

I. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg, Notkestraße 9, 22607 Hamburg, Germany

The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany

Transdisciplinary Research Area “Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions” (TRA Matter) and Helmholtz Institute for Radiation and Nuclear Physics (HISKP), University of Bonn, Nußallee 14-16, 53115 Bonn, Germany

Center for Theoretical Physics, Co-Design Center for Quantum Advantage, and NSF AI Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Interactions, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA

Northeastern University - London, Devon House, 58 St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LP, United Kingdom

ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Mediterranean Technology Park, Avinguda Carl Friedrich Gauss, 3, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft · U.S. Department of Energy · National Science Foundation · Agencia Estatal de Investigación · Centres de Recerca de Catalunya · Fundación Cellex · Generalitat de Catalunya · European Commission · Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation

References (51)

Show source-provided references
1. A. Kitaev · 2009
2. A. P. Schnyder · 2009
3. 10.1103/RevModPhys.82.304510.1103/RevModPhys.82.3045 ↗
4. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.45.49410.1103/PhysRevLett.45.494 ↗
5. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.48.155910.1103/PhysRevLett.48.1559 ↗
6. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.50.139510.1103/PhysRevLett.50.1395 ↗
7. 10.1103/RevModPhys.58.51910.1103/RevModPhys.58.519 ↗
8. 10.1126/science.113373410.1126/science.1133734 ↗
9. 10.1126/science.114804710.1126/science.1148047 ↗
10. 10.1070/1063-7869/44/10S/S2910.1070/1063-7869/44/10S/S29 ↗
11. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.26810.1103/PhysRevLett.86.268 ↗
12. 10.1126/sciadv.aar525110.1126/sciadv.aar5251 ↗
13. 10.1038/s41567-021-01234-y10.1038/s41567-021-01234-y ↗
14. 10.1038/s41565-022-01078-410.1038/s41565-022-01078-4 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.aop.2005.10.00510.1016/j.aop.2005.10.005 ↗
16. 10.1103/PhysRevA.59.246810.1103/PhysRevA.59.2468 ↗
17. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.125.14770110.1103/PhysRevLett.125.147701 ↗
18. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.01720610.1103/PhysRevLett.112.017206 ↗
19. 10.1103/PhysRevB.93.02040210.1103/PhysRevB.93.020402 ↗
20. 10.1103/PhysRevE.88.06211810.1103/PhysRevE.88.062118 ↗
21. 10.1103/PhysRevA.93.02211110.1103/PhysRevA.93.022111 ↗
22. 10.1103/PhysRevA.102.03220510.1103/PhysRevA.102.032205 ↗
23. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.09720410.1103/PhysRevLett.122.097204 ↗
24. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.04720110.1103/PhysRevLett.110.047201 ↗
25. 10.1103/PhysRevA.95.05213110.1103/PhysRevA.95.052131 ↗
26. 10.1088/1751-8121/aa86cb10.1088/1751-8121/aa86cb ↗
27. 10.1103/PhysRevE.95.04212810.1103/PhysRevE.95.042128 ↗
28. 10.1088/0305-4470/37/2/01210.1088/0305-4470/37/2/012 ↗
29. 10.1088/0305-4470/36/45/00310.1088/0305-4470/36/45/003 ↗
30. 10.1088/0305-4470/37/5/03010.1088/0305-4470/37/5/030 ↗
31. 10.1016/S0550-3213(03)00372-910.1016/S0550-3213(03)00372-9 ↗
32. 10.1016/j.nuclphysb.2013.10.00110.1016/j.nuclphysb.2013.10.001 ↗
33. 10.1103/PhysRevB.103.11543510.1103/PhysRevB.103.115435 ↗
34. 10.1038/s41567-022-01651-710.1038/s41567-022-01651-7 ↗
35. 10.1088/1361-6633/ac73a010.1088/1361-6633/ac73a0 ↗
36. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.06720110.1103/PhysRevLett.127.067201 ↗
37. 10.1038/s43246-022-00311-w10.1038/s43246-022-00311-w ↗
38. 10.1103/RevModPhys.91.04100110.1103/RevModPhys.91.041001 ↗
39. 10.1038/s41467-022-29879-010.1038/s41467-022-29879-0 ↗
40. 10.1038/s41557-022-01061-510.1038/s41557-022-01061-5 ↗
41. 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.01300310.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.013003 ↗
42. 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.02311110.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.023111 ↗
43. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.12720110.1103/PhysRevLett.116.127201 ↗
44. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.24040310.1103/PhysRevLett.126.240403 ↗
45. 10.1103/PhysRevA.94.04233510.1103/PhysRevA.94.042335 ↗
46. 10.1103/PhysRevB.104.L08141010.1103/PhysRevB.104.L081410 ↗
47. 10.1088/1367-2630/10/3/03303210.1088/1367-2630/10/3/033032 ↗
48. 10.1088/1742-5468/2005/04/P0401010.1088/1742-5468/2005/04/P04010 ↗
49. 10.1038/nphys223210.1038/nphys2232 ↗
50. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.12720510.1103/PhysRevLett.111.127205 ↗
51. A. Altland · 201010.1017/CBO9780511789984 ↗