Non-equilibrium critical scaling and universality in a quantum simulator

Arinjoy De (), Patrick Cook, Mostafa Ali, Kate Collins, William Morong, Daniel Paz, Paraj Titum, Guido Pagano, Alexey V. Gorshkov, Mohammad Maghrebi and Christopher Monroe
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Arinjoy De: NIST and University of Maryland
Patrick Cook: Michigan State University
Mostafa Ali: Michigan State University
Kate Collins: NIST and University of Maryland
William Morong: NIST and University of Maryland
Daniel Paz: Michigan State University
Paraj Titum: NIST and University of Maryland
Guido Pagano: Rice University
Alexey V. Gorshkov: NIST and University of Maryland
Mohammad Maghrebi: Michigan State University
Christopher Monroe: NIST and University of Maryland

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Universality and scaling laws are hallmarks of equilibrium phase transitions and critical phenomena. However, extending these concepts to non-equilibrium systems is an outstanding challenge. Despite recent progress in the study of dynamical phases, the universality classes and scaling laws for non-equilibrium phenomena are far less understood than those in equilibrium. In this work, using a trapped-ion quantum simulator with single-spin resolution, we investigate the non-equilibrium nature of critical fluctuations following a quantum quench to the critical point. We probe the scaling of spin fluctuations after a series of quenches to the critical Hamiltonian of a long-range Ising model. With systems of up to 50 spins, we show that the amplitude and timescale of the post-quench fluctuations scale with system size with distinct universal critical exponents, depending on the quench protocol. While a generic quench can lead to thermal critical behavior, we find that a second quench from one critical state to another (i.e. a double quench) results in a new universal non-equilibrium behavior, identified by a set of critical exponents distinct from their equilibrium counterparts. Our results demonstrate the ability of quantum simulators to explore universal scaling beyond equilibrium.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63398-y

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