Topologically-Protected Long Edge Coherence Times in Symmetry-Broken Phases

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that symmetry-broken phases near topological phases can exhibit long edge coherence times due to topological effects, even at high temperatures, highlighting a new dynamical regime with potential quantum information applications.

Contribution

It reveals a novel dynamical regime where symmetry-broken phases show topologically protected long edge coherence times, extending the understanding of topological effects beyond ground states.

Findings

Exponential long edge coherence times in symmetry-broken phases.

Persistence of coherence at infinite temperature due to prethermalization.

Stability of coherence times to symmetry-preserving perturbations.

Abstract

We argue that symmetry-broken phases proximate in phase space to symmetry-protected topological phases can exhibit dynamical signatures of topological physics. This dynamical, symmetry-protected "topological" regime is characterized by anomalously long edge coherence times due to the topological decoration of quasiparticle excitations, even if the underlying zero-temperature ground state is in a non-topological, symmetry-broken state. The dramatic enhancement of coherence can even persist at infinite temperature due to prethermalization. We find exponentially long edge coherence times that are stable to symmetry-preserving perturbations, and not the result of integrability.