"Quenching Topological Edge Modes"

Speaker: 
Romain Vasseur
Institution: 
UC Berkeley
Date: 
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Time: 
4:00 pm
Location: 
NS2 1201
 

 
ABSTRACT:
 
Quenches — abruptly changing a control parameter in a quantum system — are a clear-cut way to study the non-equilibrium physics of quantum systems and reveal their intrinsic time scales. In this talk, I will discuss how to probe the edge modes of topological insulators and superconductors using local quantum quenches. I will argue that the peculiar nature of topological edges leads to a remarkably robust universal post-quench dynamics, with clear signatures that could be accessed in optical absorption experiments.

References:

R. Vasseur, J.P. Dahlhaus and J.E. Moore, Universal nonequilibrium signatures of Majorana zero modes in quench dynamics, arXiv:1405.5865.

R. Vasseur and J.E. Moore, Edge Physics of the Quantum Spin Hall Insulator from a Quantum Dot Excited by Optical Absorption, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 146804 (2014). arXiv:1312.3568.


 
Host: 
Sid Parameswaran