We show that both discrete and continuous time-translation symmetry can be broken in the prethermal regime of quantum systems that eventually thermalize. We prove a theorem that states that such \u201ctime crystals\u201d persist until times that are nearly exponentially-long in the couplings and, in driven systems, the drive frequency. After this thermalization time, the time-translational symmetry breaking oscillations fade away. However, during the time interval prior to that, a time crystal can exist even without disorder, and its properties are encapsulated by a field theory analogous to that of equilibrium spontaneous symmetry-breaking phases. When coupled to a cold bath, the pre-thermal regime could potentially persist to infinite time. Similar conclusions hold for topological phases of driven systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We show that both discrete and continuous time-translation symmetry can be broken in the prethermal regime of quantum systems that eventually thermalize. We prove a theorem that states that such \u201ctime crystals\u201d persist until times that are nearly exponentially-long in the couplings and, in driven systems, the drive frequency. After this thermalization time, the time-translational […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"msr-url-field":"","msr-podcast-episode":"","msrModifiedDate":"","msrModifiedDateEnabled":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"msr-content-type":[3],"msr-research-highlight":[],"research-area":[243138],"msr-publication-type":[193715],"msr-product-type":[],"msr-focus-area":[],"msr-platform":[],"msr-download-source":[],"msr-locale":[268875],"msr-field-of-study":[],"msr-conference":[],"msr-journal":[],"msr-impact-theme":[],"msr-pillar":[],"class_list":["post-313058","msr-research-item","type-msr-research-item","status-publish","hentry","msr-research-area-quantum","msr-locale-en_us"],"msr_publishername":"Cornell Unviersity 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