Localization and topology protected quantum coherence at the edge of hot matter

Yasaman Bahri, Ronen Vosk, Ehud Altman () and Ashvin Vishwanath
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Yasaman Bahri: University of California
Ronen Vosk: Weizmann Institute of Science
Ehud Altman: University of California
Ashvin Vishwanath: University of California

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-6

Abstract: Abstract Topological phases are characterized by edge states confined near the boundaries by a bulk energy gap. On raising temperature, these edge states are typically lost due to mobile thermal excitations. However, disorder can localize an isolated many-body system, potentially allowing for a sharply defined topological phase even in a highly excited state. We explicitly demonstrate this in a model of a disordered, one-dimensional magnet with spin one-half edge excitations. Furthermore, we show that the time evolution of a simple, highly excited state reveals quantum coherent edge spins. In particular, we demonstrate the coherent revival of an edge spin over a time scale that grows exponentially with system size. This is in sharp contrast to the general expectation that quantum bits strongly coupled with a hot many-body system will rapidly lose coherence. This result opens new directions in the study of topologically protected quantum dynamics.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8341

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