Defects and their Time Scales in Quantum and Classical Annealing of the Two-Dimensional Ising Model

TL;DR

This paper studies defect formation and dynamics in quantum and classical annealing of the 2D Ising model, revealing distinct scaling behaviors and their implications for annealing efficiency and defect decay times.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of defect dynamics and scaling laws in quantum versus classical annealing of the 2D Ising model, including new methods to detect defect scales.

Findings

Kibble-Zurek scaling observed at quantum critical point

Defect coarsening dynamics follow specific power-law time scales

Differences in defect decay times between quantum and classical annealing

Abstract

We investigate defects in the two-dimensional transverse-field Ising ferromagnet on periodic $L\times L$ lattices after quantum annealing from high to vanishing field. With exact numerical solutions for $L \le 6$, we observe the expected critical Kibble-Zurek (KZ) time scale $\propto L^{z+1/\nu}$ (with $z=1$ and $1/\nu \approx 1.59$) at the quantum phase transition. We also observe KZ scaling of the ground-state fidelity at the end of the process. The excitations evolve by coarsening dynamics of confined defects, with a time scale $\propto L^2$, and interface fluctuations of system-spanning defects, with life time $\propto L^3$. We build on analogies with classical simulated annealing, where we characterize system-spanning defects in detail and find differences in the dynamic scales of domain walls with winding numbers $W=(1,0)/(0,1)$ (horizontal/vertical) and $W=(1,1)$ (diagonal). They decay on time scales $\propto L^3$ (which applies also to system-spanning domains in systems with open boundaries) and $\propto L^{3.4}$, respectively, when imposed in the ordered phase. As a consequence of $L^{3.4}$ exceeding the classical KZ scale $L^{z+1/\nu}=L^{3.17}$ the probability of $W=(1,1)$ domains in SA scales with the KZ exponent even in the final $T=0$ state. In QA, also the $W=(1,0)/(0,1)$ domains are controlled by the KZ time scale $L^{2.59}$. The $L^3$ scale can nevertheless be detected in the excited states, using a method that we develop that should also be applicable in QA experiments.