Quantum Many-Body Scars in Few-Body Dipole-Dipole Interactions

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum many-body scar states influence the slow or non-thermalizing dynamics in a one-dimensional array of Rydberg atoms with multi-body dipole-dipole interactions, revealing conditions for their emergence.

Contribution

It introduces a simplified model demonstrating the emergence of quantum many-body scars in systems with three- and four-body interactions, highlighting their role in non-thermalizing dynamics.

Findings

Identification of parameter regions with slow or no thermalization.

Quantum scars significantly slow down the dynamics in multi-body interactions.

Interplay of hopping and interactions leads to non-ergodic behavior.

Abstract

We simulate the dynamics of Rydberg atoms resonantly exchanging energy via two-, three-, and four-body dipole-dipole interactions in a one-dimensional array. Using simplified models of a realistic experimental system, we study the initial state survival probability, mean level spacing, spread of entanglement, and properties of the energy eigenstates. By exploring a range of disorders and interaction strengths, we find regions in parameter space where the three- and four-body dynamics either fail to thermalize or do so slowly. The interplay between the stronger hopping and weaker field-tuned interactions gives rise to quantum many-body scar states, which play a critical role in slowing the dynamics of the three- and four-body interactions.