Quantum scars of bosons with correlated hopping

TL;DR

This paper introduces a 1D bosonic lattice model with density-assisted hopping that exhibits quantum many-body scars, similar to those observed in Rydberg atom experiments, providing a new platform for studying slow thermalization.

Contribution

It proposes a new bosonic lattice model with a soft kinetic constraint that demonstrates quantum scars, expanding the understanding of scar phenomena beyond Rydberg systems.

Findings

Model exhibits weakly entangled high-energy eigenstates

Presence of numerous exact zero energy states with unique algebraic structure

Phenomenology similar to Rydberg atom chains

Abstract

Recent experiments on Rydberg atom arrays have found evidence of anomalously slow thermalization and persistent density oscillations, which have been interpreted as a many-body analog of the phenomenon of quantum scars. Periodic dynamics and atypical scarred eigenstates originate from a "hard" kinetic constraint: the neighboring Rydberg atoms cannot be simultaneously excited. Here we propose a realization of quantum many-body scars in a 1D bosonic lattice model with a "soft" constraint in the form of density-assisted hopping. We discuss the relation of this model to the standard Bose-Hubbard model and possible experimental realizations using ultracold atoms. We find that this model exhibits similar phenomenology to the Rydberg atom chain, including weakly entangled eigenstates at high energy densities and the presence of a large number of exact zero energy states, with distinct algebraic structure.