Real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in Rydberg-atom lattice gauge theory

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2508.06639v1
• Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2025 18:36:20 GMT
• Title: Real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in Rydberg-atom lattice gauge theory
• Authors: De-Sheng Xiang, Peng Zhou, Chang Liu, Hao-Xiang Liu, Yao-Wen Zhang, Dong Yuan, Kuan Zhang, Biao Xu, Marcello Dalmonte, Dong-Ling Deng, Lin Li,
• Abstract summary: We observe real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in (1+1)-dimensional U(1) gauge theory.<n>Our work establishes a high-resolution approach for probing non-perturbative gauge dynamics.
• Score: 19.249431983970567
• License: http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/
• Abstract: Understanding the non-equilibrium dynamics of gauge theories remains a fundamental challenge in high-energy physics. Indeed, most large scale experiments on gauge theories intrinsically rely on very far-from equilibrium dynamics, from heavy-ion to lepton and hadron collisions, which is in general extremely challenging to treat ab initio. Quantum simulation holds intriguing potential in tackling this problem and pioneering experiments have observed different characteristic features of gauge theories, such as string breaking and false vacuum decay. Here, using a programmable Rydberg atom array, we observe real-time scattering and freeze-out dynamics in a (1+1)-dimensional U(1) lattice gauge theory. Through spatiotemporal Hamiltonian engineering, we demonstrate dynamical confinement-deconfinement transitions, revealing string fragmentation and symmetry restoration during quenches. We track scattering processes with single-site resolution across a range of parameter regimes. Utilizing a double quench protocol, we observe dynamical freeze-out: upon quenching the Hamiltonian after scattering, despite the injection of an extensive energy, the system evolution -- in terms of both low-order correlations and entanglement -- freezes, effectively stabilizing a highly correlated equilibrium state -- a situation that reminisces that of collisions between heavy ions. Our work establishes a high-resolution approach for probing non-perturbative gauge dynamics, opening alternative pathways toward studying far-from-equilibrium phenomena in high-energy physics.

Related papers

• Ergodicity breaking meets criticality in a gauge-theory quantum simulator [0.002325116412563367]
  Recent advances in quantum simulations have opened access to the real-time dynamics of lattice gauge theories.<n>We map out the dynamical phase diagram of the spin-1/2 U(1) quantum link model in one spatial dimension by quenching the fermion mass.<n>We reveal a tunable regime of ergodicity breaking due to quantum many-body scars, manifested as long-lived coherent oscillations.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-12-29T19:00:01Z)
• Probing emergent prethermal dynamics and resonant melting on a programmable quantum simulator [28.28351393962583]
  dynamics of isolated quantum systems following a sudden quench plays a central role in many areas of material science, high-energy physics, and quantum chemistry.<n>Here, we use a programmable neutral atom quantum simulator to explore quench dynamics in spin models with up to 180 qubits.<n>We trace their robustness to Floquet-like prethermal steady states that are stabilized over long emergent timescales.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-10-13T17:58:04Z)
• Prethermalization of light and matter in cavity-coupled Rydberg arrays [44.99833362998488]
  We explore the dynamics of two-dimensional Rydberg atom arrays coupled to a single-mode optical cavity.<n>We discover a novel prethermalization regime driven by the interplay between short-range Rydberg interactions and long-range photon-mediated interactions.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-04-08T17:59:59Z)
• Nonequilibrium relaxation exponentially delays the onset of quantum diffusion [0.0]
  We exploit a recent breakthrough that generalizes the concept of memory beyond its conventional temporal meaning to also encompass space. We employ the dynamics of small lattices over short times to predict the dynamics of thermodynamically large lattices over arbitrarily long timescales. We also compare transport in 1D and 2D systems to investigate the effect of dimension in polaron migration physics.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-11-26T01:09:23Z)
• Real-time dynamics of false vacuum decay [49.1574468325115]
  We investigate false vacuum decay of a relativistic scalar field in the metastable minimum of an asymmetric double-well potential. We employ the non-perturbative framework of the two-particle irreducible (2PI) quantum effective action at next-to-leading order in a large-N expansion.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-10-06T12:44:48Z)
• Persistent non-Gaussian correlations in out-of-equilibrium Rydberg atom arrays [0.0]
  We present a mechanism by which an initial state of a Rydberg atom array can retain persistent non-Gaussian correlations following a global quench. These long-lived non-Gaussian states may have practical applications as quantum memories or stable resources for quantum-information protocols.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-21T12:07:45Z)
• Emergence of fluctuating hydrodynamics in chaotic quantum systems [47.187609203210705]
  macroscopic fluctuation theory (MFT) was recently developed to model the hydrodynamics of fluctuations. We perform large-scale quantum simulations that monitor the full counting statistics of particle-number fluctuations in boson ladders. Our results suggest that large-scale fluctuations of isolated quantum systems display emergent hydrodynamic behavior.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-20T11:26:30Z)
• Non-equilibrium quantum probing through linear response [41.94295877935867]
  We study the system's response to unitary perturbations, as well as non-unitary perturbations, affecting the properties of the environment. We show that linear response, combined with a quantum probing approach, can effectively provide valuable quantitative information about the perturbation and characteristics of the environment.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-14T13:31:23Z)
• Hyper-acceleration of quantum thermalization dynamics by bypassing long-lived coherences: An analytical treatment [0.0]
  We develop a perturbative technique for solving Markovian quantum dissipative dynamics. We show how to bypass a long-lived coherent dynamics and accelerate the relaxation to thermal equilibration in a hyper-exponential manner.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-01-15T16:34:02Z)
• Slow semiclassical dynamics of a two-dimensional Hubbard model in disorder-free potentials [77.34726150561087]
  We show that introduction of harmonic and spin-dependent linear potentials sufficiently validates fTWA for longer times. In particular, we focus on a finite two-dimensional system and show that at intermediate linear potential strength, the addition of a harmonic potential and spin dependence of the tilt, results in subdiffusive dynamics.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-10-03T16:51:25Z)
• Analog cosmological reheating in an ultracold Bose gas [58.720142291102135]
  We quantum-simulate the reheating-like dynamics of a generic cosmological single-field model in an ultracold Bose gas. Expanding spacetime as well as the background oscillating inflaton field are mimicked in the non-relativistic limit. The proposed experiment has the potential of exploring the evolution up to late times even beyond the weak coupling regime.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-08-05T18:00:26Z)
• Probing eigenstate thermalization in quantum simulators via fluctuation-dissipation relations [77.34726150561087]
  The eigenstate thermalization hypothesis (ETH) offers a universal mechanism for the approach to equilibrium of closed quantum many-body systems. Here, we propose a theory-independent route to probe the full ETH in quantum simulators by observing the emergence of fluctuation-dissipation relations. Our work presents a theory-independent way to characterize thermalization in quantum simulators and paves the way to quantum simulate condensed matter pump-probe experiments.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-07-20T18:00:02Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.