Interaction quench and thermalization in a one-dimensional topological Kondo insulator

TL;DR

This paper investigates the nonequilibrium dynamics of a one-dimensional topological Kondo insulator after a quantum quench, showing that its topological properties remain robust over time despite local observable decay.

Contribution

It demonstrates the preservation of topological features in a 1D Kondo insulator after an interaction quench, using a combination of theoretical tools and suggesting experimental tests.

Findings

Topological properties are preserved postquench.

Local observables can be approximated by a thermal ensemble.

Topological edge states remain robust over time.

Abstract

We study the nonequilibrium dynamics of a one-dimensional topological Kondo insulator, modelled by a $p$-wave Anderson lattice model, following a quantum quench of the on-site interaction strength. Our goal is to examine how the quench influences the topological properties of the system, therefore our main focus is the time evolution of the string order parameter, entanglement spectrum and the topologically-protected edge states. We point out that postquench local observables can be well captured by a thermal ensemble up to a certain interaction strength. Our results demonstrate that the topological properties after the interaction quench are preserved. Though the absolute value of the string order parameter decays in time, the analysis of the entanglement spectrum, Loschmidt echo and the edge states indicates the robustness of the topological properties in the time-evolved state. These predictions could be directly tested in state-of-the-art cold-atom experiments.