English

Strong-to-weak spontaneous symmetry breaking meets average symmetry-protected topological order

Strongly Correlated Electrons 2025-05-21 v2 Statistical Mechanics Quantum Physics

Abstract

Recent studies have unveiled new possibilities for discovering intrinsic quantum phases that are unique to open systems, including phases with average symmetry-protected topological (ASPT) order and strong-to-weak spontaneous symmetry breaking (SWSSB) order in systems with global symmetry. In this work, we propose a new class of phases, termed the double ASPT phase, which emerges from a nontrivial extension of these two orders. This new phase is absent from prior studies and cannot exist in conventional closed systems. Using the recently developed imaginary-Lindbladian formalism, we explore the phase diagram of a one-dimensional open system with Z2σ×Z2τ\mathbb{Z}_2^{\sigma}\times \mathbb{Z}_2^{\tau} symmetry. We identify universal critical behaviors along each critical line and observe the emergence of an intermediate phase that completely breaks the Z2σ\mathbb{Z}_2^{\sigma} symmetry, leading to the formation of two triple points in the phase diagram. These two triple points are topologically distinct and connected by a domain-wall decoration duality map. Our results promote the establishment of a complete classification for quantum phases in open systems with various symmetry conditions.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2410.13734,
  title  = {Strong-to-weak spontaneous symmetry breaking meets average symmetry-protected topological order},
  author = {Yuchen Guo and Shuo Yang},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2410.13734},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

13 pages, 9 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. B as a Letter