journal article·2026-01-09

Dynamic scaling and Family-Vicsek universality in SU ( N ) quantum spin chains

Cătălin Paşcu Moca, Balázs Dóra, Doru Sticlet, Angelo Valli, Tomaž Prosen, Gergely Zaránd

Physical Review B· Volume 113· Issue 2
Publisher page

Abstract

The Family-Vicsek scaling is a fundamental framework for understanding surface growth in non-equilibrium classical systems, providing a universal description of temporal surface roughness evolution. While universal scaling laws are well established in quantum systems, the applicability of Family-Vicsek scaling in quantum many-body dynamics remains largely unexplored. Motivated by this, we investigate the infinite-temperature dynamics of one-dimensional $SU(N)$ spin chains, focusing on the well-known $SU(2)$ XXZ model and the $SU(3)$ Izergin-Korepin model. We compute the quantum analogue of classical surface roughness using the second cumulant of spin fluctuations and demonstrate universal scaling with respect to time and subsystem size. By systematically breaking global $SU(N)$ symmetry and integrability, we identify distinct transport regimes characterized by the dynamical exponent $z$: (i) ballistic transport with $z=1$, (ii) superdiffusive transport with the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang exponent $z=3/2$, and (iii) diffusive transport with the Edwards-Wilkinson exponent $z=2$. Notably, breaking integrability always drives the system into the diffusive regime. Our results demonstrate that Family-Vicsek scaling extends beyond classical systems, holding universally across quantum many-body models with $SU(N)$ symmetry.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Quantum many-body systems · Theoretical and Computational Physics · Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism

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

Affiliations

University of Oradea

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Institute of Physics

National Institute for R&D of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies

HUN-REN-BME-BCE Quantum Technology Research Group

University of Ljubljana

Institute for Mathematics, Physics, and Mechanics

Funding

Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal · European Research Council · Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS · Romanian CNCS · QuantERA

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