Dynamical phase transition in correlated fermionic lattice systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a dynamical phase transition in the Hubbard model after an interaction quench, revealing a critical interaction point that separates different thermalization regimes, with potential experimental observability.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a dynamical phase transition in correlated fermionic systems using non-equilibrium dynamical mean-field theory, highlighting a critical interaction point.

Findings

Existence of a critical interaction separating thermalization regimes

Fast thermalization at the critical point

Delayed relaxation due to prethermalization in different regimes

Abstract

We use non-equilibrium dynamical mean-field theory to demonstrate the existence of a critical interaction in the real-time dynamics of the Hubbard model after an interaction quench. The critical point is characterized by fast thermalization and separates weak-coupling and strong-coupling regimes in which the relaxation is delayed due to prethermalization on intermediate timescales. This dynamical phase transition should be observable in experiments on trapped fermionic atoms.