Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: Time crystals correspond to a phase of matter where time-translational symmetry (TTS) is broken. Up to date, they are well studied in open quantum systems, where an external drive allows us to break discrete TTS, ultimately leading to Floquet time crystals. At the same time, genuine time crystals for closed quantum systems are believed to be impossible. In this study we propose a form of a Hamiltonian for which the unitary dynamics exhibits the time crystalline behavior and breaks continuous TTS. This is based on a spin-1/2 many-body Hamiltonian which has long-range multispin interactions in the form of spin strings, thus bypassing previously known no-go theorems. We show that quantum time crystals are stable to local perturbations at zero temperature. Finally, we reveal the intrinsic connection between continuous and discrete TTS, thus linking the two realms.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Authors: Valerii K. Kozin, Oleksandr Kyriienko
Language: English
Topic: Quantum many-body systems
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1001486260, G1015444996, G5543561570
OpenAlex ID: W2991167993