Details
| Originalsprache | Englisch |
|---|---|
| Aufsatznummer | 2291 |
| Fachzeitschrift | Nature Communications |
| Jahrgang | 4 |
| Publikationsstatus | Veröffentlicht - 7 Aug. 2013 |
| Extern publiziert | Ja |
Abstract
Symmetry breaking phase transitions play an important role in nature. When a system traverses such a transition at a finite rate, its causally disconnected regions choose the new broken symmetry state independently. Where such local choices are incompatible, topological defects can form. The Kibble-Zurek mechanism predicts the defect densities to follow a power law that scales with the rate of the transition. Owing to its ubiquitous nature, this theory finds application in a wide field of systems ranging from cosmology to condensed matter. Here we present the successful creation of defects in ion Coulomb crystals by a controlled quench of the confining potential, and observe an enhanced power law scaling in accordance with numerical simulations and recent predictions. This simple system with well-defined critical exponents opens up ways to investigate the physics of non-equilibrium dynamics from the classical to the quantum regime.
ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Chemie (insg.)
- Allgemeine Chemie
- Biochemie, Genetik und Molekularbiologie (insg.)
- Allgemeine Biochemie, Genetik und Molekularbiologie
- Physik und Astronomie (insg.)
- Allgemeine Physik und Astronomie
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in: Nature Communications, Jahrgang 4, 2291, 07.08.2013.
Publikation: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift › Artikel › Forschung › Peer-Review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Topological defect formation and spontaneous symmetry breaking in ion Coulomb crystals
AU - Pyka, K.
AU - Keller, J.
AU - Partner, H. L.
AU - Nigmatullin, R.
AU - Burgermeister, T.
AU - Meier, D. M.
AU - Kuhlmann, K.
AU - Retzker, A.
AU - Plenio, M. B.
AU - Zurek, W. H.
AU - Del Campo, A.
AU - Mehlstäubler, T. E.
PY - 2013/8/7
Y1 - 2013/8/7
N2 - Symmetry breaking phase transitions play an important role in nature. When a system traverses such a transition at a finite rate, its causally disconnected regions choose the new broken symmetry state independently. Where such local choices are incompatible, topological defects can form. The Kibble-Zurek mechanism predicts the defect densities to follow a power law that scales with the rate of the transition. Owing to its ubiquitous nature, this theory finds application in a wide field of systems ranging from cosmology to condensed matter. Here we present the successful creation of defects in ion Coulomb crystals by a controlled quench of the confining potential, and observe an enhanced power law scaling in accordance with numerical simulations and recent predictions. This simple system with well-defined critical exponents opens up ways to investigate the physics of non-equilibrium dynamics from the classical to the quantum regime.
AB - Symmetry breaking phase transitions play an important role in nature. When a system traverses such a transition at a finite rate, its causally disconnected regions choose the new broken symmetry state independently. Where such local choices are incompatible, topological defects can form. The Kibble-Zurek mechanism predicts the defect densities to follow a power law that scales with the rate of the transition. Owing to its ubiquitous nature, this theory finds application in a wide field of systems ranging from cosmology to condensed matter. Here we present the successful creation of defects in ion Coulomb crystals by a controlled quench of the confining potential, and observe an enhanced power law scaling in accordance with numerical simulations and recent predictions. This simple system with well-defined critical exponents opens up ways to investigate the physics of non-equilibrium dynamics from the classical to the quantum regime.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84881441632&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/ncomms3291
DO - 10.1038/ncomms3291
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84881441632
VL - 4
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
SN - 2041-1723
M1 - 2291
ER -