Floquet quantum criticality.

Berdanier, William; Kolodrubetz, Michael; Parameswaran, S A; Vasseur, Romain · Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A · 2018

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We study transitions between distinct phases of one-dimensional periodically driven (Floquet) systems. We argue that these are generically controlled by infinite-randomness fixed points of a strong-disorder renormalization group procedure. Working in the fermionic representation of the prototypical Floquet Ising chain, we leverage infinite randomness physics to provide a simple description of Floquet (multi)criticality in terms of a distinct type of domain wall associated with time translational symmetry-breaking and the formation of "Floquet time crystals." We validate our analysis via numerical simulations of free-fermion models sufficient to capture the critical physics.