Nonequilibrium symmetry-protected topological order: Emergence of semilocal Gibbs ensembles
Maurizio Fagotti, Vanja Marić, Lenart Zadnik
Abstract
A generic nonequilibrium quantum system relaxes locally into a state resembling a thermal one even when isolated from the environment. In one-dimensional systems at finite temperature, ordered phases are generally excluded. Consequently, although symmetry-protected topological order may be present at zero temperature, its emergence at late times is not expected. This paper uncovers a mechanism that allows symmetry-protected topological order to emerge away from equilibrium for arbitrarily long times. It is based on the existence of hidden (semilocal) symmetries associated with operators that represent local observables only in a symmetry-restricted Hilbert space.
Topics & Concepts
Non-equilibrium thermodynamicsSymmetry (geometry)Homogeneous spaceObservableHilbert spacePhysicsExplicit symmetry breakingTheoretical physicsQuantumOrder (exchange)Spontaneous symmetry breakingTopological orderT-symmetrySpace (punctuation)Topology (electrical circuits)Symmetry breakingQuantum mechanicsMathematicsGeometryComputer scienceOperating systemSuperconductivityEconomicsFinanceCombinatoricsQuantum many-body systemsAdvanced Thermodynamics and Statistical MechanicsOpinion Dynamics and Social Influence