Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The spontaneous emergence of temporal structures challenges the conventional understanding that systems governed by time-invariant laws remain unchanged over time. Recent experiments have observed this time translation symmetry breaking in quantum atomic systems that either exhibit strong atom-atom interactions or have low dissipation rates. While current theoretical frameworks reveal the importance of strong atom-atom interactions, they fall short in explaining this phenomenon observed in low-dissipation atomic systems. Here, we present a theoretical study on the spontaneous breaking of time translation symmetry in materials with low dissipation rates. By constructing phase diagrams for a system of four-level atoms driven by a continuous-wave optical field, we identify the essential requirements for self-sustained temporal motions. These include a driven open system, nonlinear interactions, and sufficient degrees of freedom that facilitate competing processes. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the emergence of spontaneous time translation symmetry breaking in these materials.
Source: Europhysics Letters (EPL)
Institution: Beijing Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1596927356, G4076600042
OpenAlex ID: W4401502563