Integrability is generic in homogeneous U(1)-invariant nearest-neighbor qubit circuits

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that in homogeneous U(1)-invariant nearest-neighbor qubit circuits, integrability is a generic property, with two distinct phases characterized by different conservation laws and transport behaviors, regardless of specific gate parameters.

Contribution

It reveals that integrability is common in such circuits, identifies two phases with unique properties, and uncovers an unconventional time-reversal symmetry affecting boundary conditions.

Findings

All such circuits are integrable, even with random gates.

Two phases with different conservation laws and transport properties.

Boundary conditions influence symmetry class, with open boundaries in orthogonal class and periodic in unitary class.

Abstract

Integrability is an exceptional property believed to hold only for systems with fine-tuned parameters. Contrary, we explicitly show that in homogeneous nearest-neighbor qubit circuits with a U(1) symmetry, i.e., circuits that repeatedly apply the same magnetization-conserving two-qubit gate, this is not the case. There, integrability is generic: all such brickwall qubit circuits are integrable, even with a randomly selected gate. We identify two phases with different conservation laws, transport properties, and strong zero edge modes. Experimentally important is the fact that varying any one of the parameters in the generic U(1) gate, one will typically cross the critical manifold that separates the two phases. Finally, we report on an unconventional time-reversal symmetry causing the system with open boundary conditions to be in the orthogonal class, while the one with periodic boundary conditions is in the unitary class.