Periodically Driven Spin-1/2 XXZ Antiferromagnetic Chains

Time-periodically driven quantum systems are of great interest due the possibility of unconventional states of matter and Floquet engineering. The interplay of many-body interactions and time-periodic manipulations facilitate new phenomena in the steady state. We analyze the Floquet steady states of finite spin-1/2 XXZ antiferromagnetic chains with periodically driven anisotropy parameter at frequencies below the band width, so that resonances are in principle possible. We use a numerical real-time approach with an adiabatic time-evolution protocol by ramping up the driving amplitude of the external periodic drive to prepare a nonequilibrium Floquet steady state. Parametric resonances are expected when the driving frequencies are equal to twice the energy gaps in a finite system. However, the observed resonance absorption of energy and heating is surprisingly weak in our system even for large driving amplitude. This changes if a square wave is used for driving.