Space-time symmetry breaking in nonequilibrium frustrated magnetism

TL;DR

This paper explores how driving a frustrated magnetic system out-of-equilibrium can lead to complex phases with intertwined space-time symmetry breaking, including novel time crystal and spatial order phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of space-time symmetry breaking in nonequilibrium frustrated magnetism and demonstrates the emergence of new phases like time crystals with oscillating spatial orders.

Findings

Discovery of non-equilibrium phases with space-time symmetry breaking

Identification of a discrete time crystal phase with oscillating spatial order

Demonstration of frustration effects in driven-dissipative magnetic systems

Abstract

Spontaneous symmetry breaking is responsible for the rich phenomena in equilibrium physics. Driving a system out-of-equilibrium can significantly enrich the possibility of spontaneous symmetry breaking, which occurs not only in space, but also in time domain. This study investigates a driven-dissipative frustrated magnetic system. Results show that frustration in such a far-from-equilibrium system could lead to a wealth of intriguing non-equilibrium phases with intertwined space-time symmetry breaking, (e.g.) a discrete time crystal phase accompanied by a time-dependent spatial order oscillating between a long-range tripartite stripe and a short-range ferromagnetic order.