Showing papers by "Matthias Troyer published in 2009"

Absence of a Direct Superfluid to Mott Insulator Transition in Disordered Bose Systems

Abstract: We prove the absence of a direct quantum phase transition between a superfluid and a Mott insulator in a bosonic system with generic, bounded disorder. We also prove the compressibility of the system on the superfluid--insulator critical line and in its neighborhood. These conclusions follow from a general theorem of inclusions, which states that for any transition in a disordered system, one can always find rare regions of the competing phase on either side of the transition line. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations for the disordered Bose-Hubbard model show an even stronger result, important for the nature of the Mott insulator to Bose glass phase transition: the critical disorder bound ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{c}$ corresponding to the onset of disorder-induced superfluidity, satisfies the relation ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{c}g{E}_{g/2}$, with ${E}_{g/2}$ the half-width of the Mott gap in the pure system.

Phase diagram of the disordered Bose-Hubbard model

Abstract: We establish the phase diagram of the disordered three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model at unity filling which has been controversial for many years. The theorem of inclusions, proven by Pollet et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 140402 (2009)] states that the Bose-glass phase always intervenes between the Mott insulating and superfluid phases. Here, we note that assumptions on which the theorem is based exclude phase transitions between gapped (Mott insulator) and gapless phases (Bose glass). The apparent paradox is resolved through a unique mechanism: such transitions have to be of the Griffiths type when the vanishing of the gap at the critical point is due to a zero concentration of rare regions where extreme fluctuations of disorder mimic a regular gapless system. An exactly solvable random transverse field Ising model in one dimension is used to illustrate the point. A highly nontrivial overall shape of the phase diagram is revealed with the worm algorithm. The phase diagram features a long superfluid finger at strong disorder and on-site interaction. Moreover, bosonic superfluidity is extremely robust against disorder in a broad range of interaction parameters; it persists in random potentials nearly 50 (!) times larger than the particle half-bandwidth. Finally, we comment on the feasibility of obtaining this phase diagram in cold-atom experiments, which work with trapped systems at finite temperature.

A short introduction to Fibonacci anyon models

Abstract: We discuss how to construct models of interacting anyons by generalizing quantum spin Hamiltonians to anyonic degrees of freedom. The simplest interactions energetically favor pairs of anyons to fuse into the trivial ("identity") channel, similar to the quantum Heisenberg model favoring pairs of spins to form spin singlets. We present an introduction to the theory of anyons and discuss in detail how basis sets and matrix representations of the interaction terms can be obtained, using non-Abelian Fibonacci anyons as example. Besides discussing the "golden chain", a one-dimensional system of anyons with nearest neighbor interactions, we also present the derivation of more complicated interaction terms, such as three-anyon interactions in the spirit of the Majumdar-Ghosh spin chain, longer range interactions and two-leg ladders. We also discuss generalizations to anyons with general non-Abelian su(2)_k statistics. The k to infinity limit of the latter yields ordinary SU(2) spin chains.

Collective states of interacting anyons, edge states, and the nucleation of topological liquids.

Abstract: Quantum mechanical systems, whose degrees of freedom are so-called su(2)k anyons, form a bridge between ordinary SU(2) quantum magnets (of arbitrary spin-S) and systems of interacting non-Abelian anyons. Anyonic spin-1/2 chains exhibit a topological protection mechanism that stabilizes their gapless ground states and which vanishes only in the limit (k-->infinity) of the ordinary spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain. For anyonic spin-1 chains the phase diagram closely mirrors the one of the biquadratic SU(2) spin-1 chain. Our results describe, at the same time, nucleation of different 2D topological quantum fluids within a "parent" non-Abelian quantum Hall state, arising from a macroscopic occupation with localized, interacting anyons. The edge states between the "nucleated" and the parent liquids are neutral, and correspond precisely to the gapless modes of the anyonic chains.

Topology-driven quantum phase transitions in time-reversal-invariant anyonic quantum liquids

Abstract: Indistinguishable particles in two dimensions can be characterized by anyonic quantum statistics, which is more general than that of bosons or fermions. Anyons emerge as quasiparticles in fractional quantum Hall states and in certain frustrated quantum magnets. Quantum liquids of anyons show degenerate ground states, where the degeneracy depends on the topology of the underlying surface. Here, we present a new type of continuous quantum phase transition in such anyonic quantum liquids, which is driven by quantum fluctuations of the topology. The critical state connecting two anyonic liquids on surfaces with different topologies is reminiscent of the notion of a ‘quantum foam’ with fluctuations on all length scales. This exotic quantum phase transition arises in a microscopic model of interacting anyons for which we present an exact solution in a linear geometry. We introduce an intuitive physical picture of this model that unifies string nets and loop gases, and provide a simple description of topological quantum phases and their phase transitions. Quantum many-body systems can show an elusive form of order known as topological order. Theoretical work now unifies several microscopic models whereby topological phases have been found, and predicts quantum phase transitions that are driven by quantum fluctuations of the topology.

Local Order and the gapped phase of the Hubbard model: a plaquette dynamical mean field investigation

Abstract: The four-site DCA method of including intersite correlations in the dynamical mean field theory is used to investigate the metal-insulator transition in the Hubbard model. At half filling a gap-opening transition is found to occur as the interaction strength is increased beyond a critical value. The gapped behavior found in the 4-site DCA approximation is shown to be associated with the onset of strong antiferromagnetic and singlet correlations and the transition is found to be potential energy driven. It is thus more accurately described as a Slater phenomenon (induced by strong short ranged order) than as a Mott phenomenon. Doping the gapped phase leads to a non-Fermi-liquid state with a Fermi surface only in the nodal regions and a pseudogap in the antinodal regions at lower dopings $x \lesssim 0.15$ and to a Fermi liquid phase at higher dopings.

Estimating errors reliably in Monte Carlo simulations of the Ehrenfest model

Abstract: Using the Ehrenfest urn model we illustrate the subtleties of error estimation in Monte Carlo simulations. We discuss how the smooth results of correlated sampling in Markov chains can fool one's perception of the accuracy of the data, and show (via numerical and analytical methods) how to obtain reliable error estimates from correlated samples.

Discerning incompressible and compressible phases of cold atoms in optical lattices.

Abstract: Experiments with cold atoms trapped in optical lattices offer the potential to realize a variety of novel phases but suffer from severe spatial inhomogeneity that can obscure signatures of new phases of matter and phase boundaries. We use a high temperature series expansion to show that compressibility in the core of a trapped Fermi-Hubbard system is related to measurements of changes in double occupancy. This core compressibility filters out edge effects, offering a direct probe of compressibility independent of inhomogeneity. A comparison with experiments is made.

Beliaev technique for a weakly interacting Bose gas

Abstract: Aiming for simplicity of explicit equations and at the same time controllable accuracy of the theory we present results for all thermodynamic quantities and correlation functions for the weakly interacting Bose gas at short-to-intermediate distances obtained within an improved version of Beliaev's diagrammatic technique. With a small symmetry breaking term Beliaev's diagrammatic technique becomes regular in the infrared limit. Up to higher-order terms (for which we present order-of-magnitude estimates), the partition function and entropy of the system formally correspond to those of a non-interacting bosonic (pseudo-)Hamiltonian with a temperature dependent Bogoliubov-type dispersion relation. Away from the fluctuation region, this approach provides the most accurate--in fact, the best possible within the Bogoliubov-type pseudo-Hamiltonian framework--description of the system with controlled accuracy. It produces accurate answers for the off-diagonal correlation functions up to distances where the behaviour of correlators is controlled by generic hydrodynamic relations, and thus can be accurately extrapolated to arbitrarily large scales. In the fluctuation region, the non-perturbative contributions are given by universal (for all weakly interacting U(1) systems) constants and scaling functions, which can be obtained separately--by simulating classical U(1) models--and then used to extend the description of the weakly interacting Bose gas to the fluctuation region. The theory works in all spatial dimensions and we explicitly check its validity against first-principle Monte Carlo simulations for various thermodynamic properties and the single-particle density matrix.

Assessing the accuracy of projected entangled-pair states on infinite lattices

Abstract: Generalizations of the density-matrix renormalization group method have long been sought after. In this paper, we assess the accuracy of projected entangled-pair states on infinite lattices by comparing with Quantum Monte Carlo results for several non-frustrated spin-1/2 systems. Furthermore, we apply the method to a frustrated quantum system.

Assessing the accuracy of projected entangled-pair states on infinite lattices

Abstract: Generalizations of the density matrix renormalization group method have long been sought after. In this paper, we assess the accuracy of projected entangled-pair states on infinite lattices by comparing with quantum Monte Carlo results for several non-frustrated spin- systems. Furthermore, we apply the method to a frustrated quantum system.

Quantum Monte Carlo Simulations

Abstract: In these lecture notes we present an introduction to modern quantum Monte Carlo methods for strongly correlated quantum lattice models. After an introduction to classical Monte Carlo methods we will present the loop algorithm, directed loop algorithm, worm algorithm, Wang‐Landau sampling for quantum systems, and continuous‐time algorithms for quantum impurity problems.

Ensemble optimization techniques for the simulation of slowly equilibrating systems

Abstract: Competing phases or interactions in complex many-particle systems can result in free energy barriers that strongly suppress thermal equilibration. Here we discuss how extended ensemble Monte Carlo simulations can be used to study the equilibrium behavior of such systems. Special focus will be given to a recently developed adaptive Monte Carlo technique that is capable to explore and overcome the entropic barriers which cause the slow-down. We discuss this technique in the context of broad-histogram Monte Carlo algorithms as well as its application to replica-exchange methods such as parallel tempering. We briefly discuss a number of examples including low-temperature states of magnetic systems with competing interactions and dense liquids.

Thermal canting of spin-bond order

Abstract: Magnetism arising from coupled spin and spatial degrees of freedom underlies the properties of a broad array of physical systems We study here the interplay between correlations in spin and space for the quantum compass model in a finite external field, using quantum Monte Carlo methods We find that finite temperatures cant the spin and space (bond) correlations, with increasing temperature, even reorienting spin correlations between orthogonal spatial directions We develop a coupled mean-field theory to understand this effect in terms of the underlying quantum critical properties of crossed Ising chains in transverse fields and an effective field that weakens upon increasing temperature Thermal canting offers an experimental signature of spin-bond anisotropy

ENCORE: An extended contractor renormalization algorithm.

Abstract: Contractor renormalization (CORE) is a real-space renormalization-group method to derive effective Hamiltionians for microscopic models. The original CORE method is based on a real-space decomposition of the lattice into small blocks and the effective degrees of freedom on the lattice are tensor products of those on the small blocks. We present an extension of the CORE method that overcomes this restriction. Our generalization allows the application of CORE to derive arbitrary effective models whose Hilbert space is not just a tensor product of local degrees of freedom. The method is especially well suited to search for microscopic models to emulate low-energy exotic models and can guide the design of quantum devices.

Optimized broad-histogram simulations for strong first-order phase transitions: Droplet transitions in the large-Q Potts model

Abstract: The numerical simulation of strongly first-order phase transitions has remained a notoriously difficult problem even for classical systems due to the exponentially suppressed (thermal) equilibration in the vicinity of such a transition. In the absence of efficient update techniques, a common approach to improve equilibration in Monte Carlo simulations is to broaden the sampled statistical ensemble beyond the bimodal distribution of the canonical ensemble. Here we show how a recently developed feedback algorithm can systematically optimize such broad-histogram ensembles and significantly speed up equilibration in comparison with other extended ensemble techniques such as flat-histogram, multicanonical or Wang-Landau sampling. As a prototypical example of a strong first-order transition we simulate the two-dimensional Potts model with up to Q=250 different states on large systems. The optimized histogram develops a distinct multipeak structure, thereby resolving entropic barriers and their associated phase transitions in the phase coexistence region such as droplet nucleation and annihilation or droplet-strip transitions for systems with periodic boundary conditions. We characterize the efficiency of the optimized histogram sampling by measuring round-trip times tau(N,Q) across the phase transition for samples of size N spins. While we find power-law scaling of tau vs. N for small Q \lesssim 50 and N \lesssim 40^2, we observe a crossover to exponential scaling for larger Q. These results demonstrate that despite the ensemble optimization broad-histogram simulations cannot fully eliminate the supercritical slowing down at strongly first-order transitions.