Related papers: Topological Constraints on Defect Dynamics

Topological defects in active liquid crystals can be confined by introducing gradients of activity. Here, we examine the dynamical behavior of two defects confined by a sharp gradient of activity that separates an active circular region and…

Topology is a fundamental aspect of quantum physics, and it has led to key breakthroughs and results in various fields of quantum materials. In condensed matters, this has culminated in the recent discovery of symmetry-protected topological…

We study quantum corrections to hypersurfaces of dimension $d+1>2$ embedded in generic higher-dimensional spacetimes. Manifest covariance is maintained throughout the analysis and our methods are valid for arbitrary co-dimension and…

We study a large class of BPS surface defects in 4d N=2 gauge theories. They are defined by coupling a 2d N=(2,2) gauged linear sigma model to the 4d bulk degrees of freedom. Our main result is an efficient computation of the effective…

Defects are ubiquitous in nature, for example dislocations, shocks, bores, or impurities of various kinds, and their descriptions are an important part of any physical theory. However, one might ask the question: what types of defect are…

We construct supersymmetric K field theories (i.e., theories with a non-standard kinetic term) in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions such that the bosonic sector just consists of a nonstandard kinetic term plus a potential. Further, we study the…

There has been recent interest in new types of topological defects arising in models with compact extra dimensions. We discuss in this context the old statement that if only SU(N) gauge fields and adjoint matter live in the bulk, and the…

We study deterministic and quantum dynamics from a constructive "finite" point of view, since the introduction of a continuum, or other actual infinities in physics poses serious conceptual and technical difficulties, without any need for…

There are two very important subjects in physics: Symmetry of dynamical models and nonlinearity. All really fundamental models are invariant under some particular symmetry groups. There is also no true physics, no our Universe and life at…

Topological defects play a key role in nonequilibrium phase transitions, ranging from birth of the early universe to quantum critical behavior of ultracold atoms. In solids, transient defects are known to generate a variety of hidden orders…

We show that generic gapped quantum many-body states which respect an anomalous finite higher-form symmetry have an exponentially small overlap with any short-range entangled (SRE) state. Hence, anomalies of higher-form symmetries enforce…

Quantum anomalies are violations of classical scaling symmetries caused by quantum fluctuations. Although they appear prominently in quantum field theory to regularize divergent physical quantities, their influence on experimental…

A continuum mechanical framework for the description of the geometry and kinematics of defects in material structure is proposed. The setting applies to a body manifold of any dimension which is devoid of a Riemannian or a parallelism…

We show how conformal field theory topological defects can relate solutions of open string field theory for different boundary conditions. To this end we generalize the results of Graham and Watts to include the action of defects on…

Topological defects are found in a variety of systems, and their existence are robust under perturbations due to their topological nature. Here we introduce a new type of topological defects found in electromagnetic waves: topological spin…

We study fusion of two scalar Wilson defects. We propose that fusion holds at a quantum level by showing that bare one-point functions stay invariant. This is an expected result as the path integral stays invariant under fusion of the two…

Flexible mechanical metamaterials possess repeating structural motifs that imbue them with novel, exciting properties including programmability, anomalous elastic moduli and nonlinear and robust response. We address such structures via…

We employ holographic techniques to explore the effects of momentum dissipation on the formation of topological defects during the critical dynamics of a strongly coupled superconductor after a linear quench of temperature. The gravity dual…

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…

In pulsating active matter, topological defects are motile despite the absence of any macroscopic flows and microscopic self-propulsion. We reveal that this motility arises from a ratchet effect: the mechanochemical coupling between local…