Floquet quantum criticality

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 Sep 18;115(38):9491-9496. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1805796115. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Abstract

We study transitions between distinct phases of one-dimensional periodically driven (Floquet) systems. We argue that these are generically controlled by infinite-randomness fixed points of a strong-disorder renormalization group procedure. Working in the fermionic representation of the prototypical Floquet Ising chain, we leverage infinite randomness physics to provide a simple description of Floquet (multi)criticality in terms of a distinct type of domain wall associated with time translational symmetry-breaking and the formation of "Floquet time crystals." We validate our analysis via numerical simulations of free-fermion models sufficient to capture the critical physics.

Keywords: disordered systems; many-body localization; nonperturbative arguments; periodically driven systems; quantum criticality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.