Simulating continuous symmetry models with discrete ones

In the past few years it has been demonstrated that the introduction of a frustration of topological origin in one-dimensional spin-1/2 systems can strongly modify their behavior, e.g. by destroying order parameters or by changing the nature of quantum phase transitions.

In this work we show that this phenomenon can be exploited for the realization of quantum simulations. In particular, introducing topological frustration in spin chains characterized by a discrete local symmetry, such as a short-range completely anisotropic Heisenberg model or the XY chain, they develop a region in parameter space where their features mimic those of models whose Hamiltonians possess continuous symmetries.

This result, together with those of other works in the same field, points towards the conclusion that topologically frustrated systems constitute interesting and efficient platforms for the development of promising quantum technologies.

A. G. Catalano, D. Brtan, F. Franchini and S. M. Giampaolo,

"Simulating continuous symmetry models with discrete ones", Phys. Rev. B 106, 125145 (2022)

V. Maric, S. M. Giampaolo and F. Franchini,

"The frustration of being odd: how boundary conditions can destroy local order",

New Journal of Physics, 22, 083024 (2020)

V. Maric, S. M. Giampaolo and F. Franchini, "Quantum phase transition induced by topological frustration", Communications Physics 3, 220 (2020)

G. Torre, V. Maric, D. Kuic, F. Franchini and S. M. Giampaolo, "Odd thermodynamic limit for the Loschmidt echo", Phys. Rev. B 105, 184424 (2022)

J. Odavic, T. Haug, G. Torre, A. Hamma, F. Franchini and S. M. Giampaolo, "Complexity of frustration: a new source of non-local non-stabilizerness", arXiv:2209.10541