When:
Thursday, April 14, 2016
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT
Where: Technological Institute, F160, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 map it
Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public
Contact:
Liz Lwanga
(847) 491-3645
Group: Physics and Astronomy Condensed Matter Physics Seminars
Category: Academic
Title: Quantum quench dynamics in spin and topological systems
Speaker: Professor Vishveshwara, UIUC
Abstract: Quantum quench dynamics involves the evolution of a system wherein a parameter of its underlying Hamiltonian is dynamically tuned. Such dynamics is particularly sensitive to out-of-equilibr ium effects when the quench passes through a critical point associated with a phase transition and it is dominated by critical properties. Typically, the quench results in excitations or defects that respect a power-law dependence with respect to how rapidly the quench is performed, known as Kibble-Zurek behavior. Here, following an introduction in the context of simple quantum spin chains, several ramifications of this Kibble-Zurek physics will be discussed in a variety of spin systems. Quenches will also be discussed in the context of topological phases, where no local order is present but the phases are characterized by global properties; these properties have a dramatic effect on quench dynamics.
Keywords: Physics, Astronomy, CMP