Route to Extend the Lifetime of a Discrete Time Crystal in a Finite Spin Chain Without Disorder

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to significantly extend the lifetime of a discrete time crystal in a finite, disorder-free spin chain by tuning interaction strength, leveraging quantum interference and symmetry principles to suppress excitations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scheme to maximize DTC lifetime in a translation invariant Ising chain through interaction tuning and symmetry considerations, without relying on disorder.

Findings

Maximum DTC lifetime at interaction strength JT = π

Period doubling oscillations can last indefinitely in even-sized systems

Interaction-induced quantum interference suppresses excitations

Abstract

Periodically driven (Floquet) systems are described by time dependent Hamiltonians that possess discrete time translation symmetry. The spontaneous breaking of this symmetry leads to the emergence of a novel non-equilibrium phase of matter - the Discrete Time Crystal (DTC). In this paper, we propose a scheme to extend the lifetime of a DTC in a paradigmatic model - a translation invariant Ising spin chain with nearest-neighbor interaction $J$, subjected to a periodic kick by a transverse magnetic field with frequency $\frac{2 \pi}{T}$. This system exhibits the hallmark signature of a DTC - persistent subharmonic oscillations with frequency $\frac{\pi}{T}$ - for a wide parameter regime. Employing both analytical arguments as well as exact diagonalization calculations, we demonstrate that the lifetime of the DTC is maximized, when the interaction strength is tuned to an optimal value, $JT = \pi$. Our proposal essentially relies on an interaction induced quantum interference mechanism that suppresses the creation of excitations, and thereby enhances the DTC lifetime. Intriguingly, we find that the period doubling oscillations can last eternally in even size systems. This anomalously long lifetime can be attributed to a time reflection symmetry that emerges at $JT=\pi$. Our work provides a promising avenue for realizing a robust DTC in various quantum emulator platforms.