Defect Formation Preempts Dynamical Symmetry Breaking in Closed Quantum Systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that in macroscopic quantum systems, defect formation prevents true adiabatic symmetry breaking, leading to a non-equilibrium state that repeatedly collapses into classical symmetry-broken states, affecting quantum-classical transitions.

Contribution

It reveals that defect formation preempts adiabatic symmetry breaking in macroscopic systems, providing insights into controlling quantum-classical transitions in mesoscopic devices.

Findings

Defect formation prevents adiabatic quantum-classical crossover.

A symmetric non-equilibrium state recurs before classical symmetry breaking.

External perturbations can control the quantum-classical transition.

Abstract

We show that no matter how slowly a quantum-to-classical symmetry breaking process is driven, the adiabatic limit can never be reached in a macroscopic body. Massive defect formation preempts an adiabatic quantum-classical crossover and triggers the appearance of a symmetric non-equilibrium state that recursively collapses into the classical state, breaking the symmetry at punctured times. The presence of this state allows the quantum-classical transition to be investigated and controlled in mesoscopic devices by supplying externally the proper dynamical symmetry breaking perturbation.