Non-equilibrium critical scaling and universality in a quantum simulator
Universality and scaling laws are hallmarks of equilibrium phase transitions and critical phenomena. However, extending these concepts to non-equilibrium systems is an outstanding challenge. Despite recent progress in the study of dynamical phases, the universality classes and scaling laws for non-equilibrium phenomena are far less understood than those in equilibrium. In this work, using a trapped-ion quantum simulator with single-spin resolution, we investigate the non-equilibrium nature of critical fluctuations following a quantum quench to the critical point. We probe the scaling of spin fluctuations after a series of quenches to the critical Hamiltonian of a long-range Ising model. With systems of up to 50 spins, we show that the amplitude and timescale of the post-quench fluctuations scale with system size with distinct universal critical exponents, depending on the quench protocol. While a generic quench can lead to thermal critical behavior, we find that a second quench from one critical state to another (i.e. a double quench) results in a new universal non-equilibrium behavior, identified by a set of critical exponents distinct from their equilibrium counterparts. Our results demonstrate the ability of quantum simulators to explore universal scaling beyond equilibrium.
Authors
- Alexey Vyacheslavovich Gorshkov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0509-3421)
- Christopher R. Monroe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0551-3713)
- Daniel A. Paz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5043-6310)
- Paraj Titum (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7792-1532)
- K. S. Collins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6159-8013)
- Guido Pagano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6760-4015)
- Patrick Cook (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7934-5428)
- W. Morong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4880-8159)
- Arinjoy De (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9184-8434)
- Mohammad F. Maghrebi
- Mostafa Ali
Institutions
- Duke University (US)
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (US)
- Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science (US)
- QuEra Computing (United States) (US)
- Joint Quantum Institute (US)
- Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
- University of Maryland, College Park (US)
- Rice University (US)
- Michigan State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2025-08-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63398-y
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Quantum many-body systems
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.25
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Defense
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Office of Science
- National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate
- Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative
- Division of Materials Research
- Advanced Scientific Computing Research
- Nuclear Physics
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research