Related papers: Causality and non-equilibrium second-order phase t…
It is often claimed that the fundamental laws of physics are deterministic and time-symmetric and that therefore our experience of the passage of time is an illusion. This paper will critically discuss these claims and show that they are…
We study the dynamics of topological defects in continuum theories governed by a free energy minimization principle, building on our recently developed framework [Romano J, Mahault B and Golestanian R 2023 J. Stat. Mech.: Theory Exp.…
We examine the interplay of symmetry and topological order in $2+1$ dimensional topological phases of matter. We present a definition of the \it topological symmetry \rm group, which characterizes the symmetry of the emergent topological…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking occurs in a system when its Hamiltonian possesses a certain symmetry, whereas the ground state wave functions do not preserve it. This provides such a scenario that a bifurcation, which breaks the symmetry,…
Active nematics are fluids in which the components have nematic symmetry and are driven out of equilibrium due to the microscopic generation of an active stress. When the active stress is high, it drives flows in the nematic and can lead to…
We propose and solve a minimal model of dynamic passage through a second-order phase transition in the presence of symmetry breaking interactions and no dissipation. Our model generalizes the Hamiltonian dynamics of the Painleve'-2 equation…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a phenomenon of an alteration of a state symmetry without a change in the system symmetry. A transition from a state with unbroken symmetry to a state with broken symmetry leads to a qualitative change in…
We investigate the collision of a new class of topological defects that tends to become compact as a control parameter increases to larger and larger values These new compactlike defects have, in general, more than one internal discrete…
In analogy with equilibrium phase transitions, we address the problem of the instability to symmetry-breaking perturbations of systems undergoing a laser transition. The symmetry in question is the $U(1)$ invariance with respect to a phase…
Symmetry plays a key role in determining the physical properties of materials. By Neumann's principle, the properties of a material are invariant under the symmetry operations of the space group to which the material belongs. Continuous…
We describe a simple mechanical system that involves Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking. The system consists of two beads constrained to slide along a hoop and attached each other through a spring. When the hoop rotates about a fixed axis, the…
Topological invariants have proved useful for analyzing emergent function as they characterize a property of the entire system, and are insensitive to local details, disorder, and noise. They support boundary states, which reduce the system…
Motivated by a stochastic differential equation describing the dynamics of interfaces, we study the bifurcation behavior of a more general class of such equations. These equations are characterized by a 2-dimensional phase space (describing…
We study a random matrix model for the statistical properties of the purity of a bipartite quantum system at a finite (fictitious) temperature. This enables us to write the generating function for the cumulants, for both balanced and…
We analyze mechanisms for universal out-of-equilibrium dynamics near criticality by exploring the effect of randomized quantum resetting (QR) under a finite-time quench across a quantum phase transition. Using the transverse-field Ising…
This work theoretically investigates the transition from topology to chaos in a periodically driven system consisting of a quantum top coupled to a spin-1/2 particle. The system is driven by two alternating interaction kicks per period. For…
We consider the weakly first order phase transition between the isotropic and ordered phases of nematics in terms of the behavior of topological line defects. Analytical and Monte Carlo results are presented for a new coarse-grained lattice…
Criticality has been proposed as a mechanism for the emergence of complexity, life, and computation, as it exhibits a balance between robustness and adaptability. In classic models of complex systems where structure and dynamics are…
After a quantum phase transition the quantum vacuum can break up to form classical topological defects. We examine this process for scalar field models with $Z_2$ symmetry for different quench rates for the phase transition. We find that…
In these lectures, I review cosmological phase transitions and the topological aspects of spontaneous symmetry breaking. I then discuss the formation of walls, strings and monopoles during phase transitions including lattice based studies…