Related papers: On topological defect formation in the process of …
We consider the possibility for phases of matter in which a continuous symmetry is spontaneously broken in a \emph{topologically non-trivial} way, which, roughly, means that the action for the Goldstone modes contains a quantized…
We discuss the representations of the algebra of quantization, the canonical commutation relations, in a scalar quantum field theory with spontaneously broken U(1) internal symmetry, when a topological defect of the vortex type is formed…
We study the nonequilibrium dynamics leading to the formation of topological defects in a symmetry-breaking phase transition of a quantum scalar field with \lambda\Phi^4 self-interaction in a spatially flat, radiation-dominated…
The interest in the topological properties of materials brings into question the problem of topological phase transitions. As a control parameter is varied, one may drive a system through phases with different topological properties. What…
We consider quantum phase transitions with global symmetry breakings that result in the formation of topological defects. We evaluate the number densities of kinks, vortices, and monopoles that are produced in $d=1,2,3$ spatial dimensions…
We demonstrate a novel mechanism for the formation of topological defects in a first order phase transition for theories in the presence of small explicit symmetry breaking terms. We carry out numerical simulations of collisions of two…
Formation and evolution of topological defects in course of non-equilibrium symmetry breaking phase transitions is of wide interest in many areas of physics, from cosmology through condensed matter to low temperature physics. Its study in…
When a symmetry gets spontaneously broken in a phase transition, topological defects are typically formed. The theoretical picture of how this happens in a breakdown of a global symmetry, the Kibble-Zurek mechanism, is well established and…
Symmetry-breaking phase transitions are ubiquitous in condensed matter systems and in quantum field theories. There is also good reason to believe that they feature in the very early history of the Universe. At many such transitions…
Our understanding of the mechanism by which topological defects are formed in symmetry breaking phase transitions has recently changed. We examine the non-equilibrium dynamics of defect formation for weakly-coupled global O(N) theories…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking in non-relativistic quantum systems has previously been addressed in the framework of effective field theory. Low-lying excitations are constructed from Nambu-Goldstone modes using symmetry arguments only. We…
We study the formation of topological defects in nonequilibrium phase transitions of both classical and quantum field theory. We examine three model systems. 1). The phase transition of a quantum scalar field in a FRW universe is analyzed…
We consider two-dimensional (2d) quantum many-body systems with long-range orders, where the only gapless excitations in the spectrum are Goldstone modes of spontaneously broken continuous symmetries. To understand the interplay between…
We study the full out-of-thermal-equilibrium dynamics of a relativistic classical scalar field through a symmetry breaking phase transition. In these circumstances we determine the evolution of the ensemble averages of the correlation…
We investigate the spontaneous symmetry breaking in a nonlocal version of the scalar QED. When the mass parameter $m^2$ satisfies the requirement $m^2>0$, we find that all fields, including the Nambu-Goldstone field, acquire a non-zero mass…
When a second-order phase transition is crossed at fine rate, the evolution of the system stops being adiabatic as a result of the critical slowing down in the neighborhood of the critical point. In systems with a topologically nontrivial…
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…
The dynamics of a dense relativistic quantum fluid out of thermodynamic equilibrium is studied in the framework of the Phi^4 scalar field theory in the large N limit. The time evolution of a particle distribution in momentum space (the…
The formation of topological defects during continuous second-order phase transitions is well described by the Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM). However, when the spontaneously broken symmetry is only approximate, such transitions become smooth…
Topological phase transitions are typically associated with the formation of gapless states. Spontaneous symmetry breaking can lead to a gap opening thereby obliterating the topological nature of the system. Here we highlight a completely…