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Abstract We present analytical results of the fundamental properties of the one-dimensional (1D) Hubbard model with a repulsive interaction. The new model results with arbitrary external fields include: (I) using the exact solutions of the Bethe ansatz equations of the Hubbard model, we first rigorously calculate the gapless spin and charge excitations, exhibiting exotic features of fractionalized spinons and holons. We then investigate the gapped excitations in terms of the spin string and the $k-\mathrm{\Lambda }$string bound states at arbitrary driving fields, showing subtle differences in spin magnons and charge $\eta$-pair excitations. (II) For a high-density and high spin magnetization region, i.e. near the quadruple critical point, we further analytically obtain the thermodynamic properties, dimensionless ratios and scaling functions near quantum phase transitions. (III) Importantly, we give the general scaling functions at quantum criticality for arbitrary filling and interaction strength. These can directly apply to other integrable models. (IV) Based on the fractional excitations and the scaling laws, the spin-incoherent Luttinger liquid (SILL) with only the charge propagation mode is elucidated by the asymptotic of the two-point correlation functions with the help of conformal field theory. We also, for the first time, obtain the analytical results of the thermodynamics for the SILL. (V) Finally, to capture deeper insights into the Mott insulator and interaction-driven criticality, we further study the double occupancy and propose its associated contact and contact susceptibilities, through which an adiabatic cooling scheme based upon quantum criticality is proposed. In this scenario, we build up general relations among arbitrary external- and internal-potential-driven quantum phase transitions, providing a comprehensive understanding of quantum criticality. Our methods offer rich perspectives of quantum integrability and offer promising guidance for future experiments with interacting electrons and ultracold atoms, both with and without a lattice. 

Abstract The Dicke model describes the cooperative interaction of an ensemble of two-level atoms with a single-mode photonic field and exhibits a quantum phase transition as a function of light–matter coupling strength. Extending this model by incorporating short-range atom–atom interactions makes the problem intractable but is expected to produce new physical phenomena and phases. Here, we simulate such an extended Dicke model using a crystal of ErFeO₃, where the role of atoms (photons) is played by Er³⁺spins (Fe³⁺magnons). Through terahertz spectroscopy and magnetocaloric effect measurements as a function of temperature and magnetic field, we demonstrated the existence of a novel atomically ordered phase in addition to the superradiant and normal phases that are expected from the standard Dicke model. Further, we elucidated the nature of the phase boundaries in the temperature–magnetic-field phase diagram, identifying both first-order and second-order phase transitions. These results lay the foundation for studying multiatomic quantum optics models using well-characterized many-body solid-state systems. 

Abstract Some of the most exotic properties of the quantum vacuum are predicted in ultrastrongly coupled photon–atom systems; one such property is quantum squeezing leading to suppressed quantum fluctuations of photons and atoms. This squeezing is unique because (1) it is realized in the ground state of the system and does not require external driving, and (2) the squeezing can be perfect in the sense that quantum fluctuations of certain observables are completely suppressed. Specifically, we investigate the ground state of the Dicke model, which describes atoms collectively coupled to a single photonic mode, and we found that the photon–atom fluctuation vanishes at the onset of the superradiant phase transition in the thermodynamic limit of an infinite number of atoms. Moreover, when a finite number of atoms is considered, the variance of the fluctuation around the critical point asymptotically converges to zero, as the number of atoms is increased. In contrast to the squeezed states of flying photons obtained using standard generation protocols with external driving, the squeezing obtained in the ground state of the ultrastrongly coupled photon–atom systems is resilient against unpredictable noise. 

Abstract The existence of quantum tricriticality and exotic phases are found in a tricritical Dicke triangle (TDT) where three cavities, each one containing an ensemble of three-level atoms, are connected to each other through the action of an artificial magnetic field. The conventional superradiant phase (SR) is connected to the normal phase through first- and second-order boundaries, with tricritical points located at the intersection of such boundaries. Apart from the SR phase, a chiral superradiant (CSR) phase is found by tuning the artificial magnetic field. This phase is characterized by a nonzero photon current and its boundary presents chiral tricritical points (CTCPs). Through the study of different critical exponents, we are able to differentiate the universality class of the CTCP and TCP from that of second-order critical points, as well as find distinctive critical behavior among the two different superradiant phases. The TDT can be implemented in various systems, including atoms in optical cavities as well as the circuit QED system, allowing the exploration of a great variety of critical manifolds. 

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been employed along with variational Monte Carlo methods for finding the ground state of quantum many-body spin systems with great success. However, it remains uncertain how CNNs, with a model complexity that scales at most linearly with the number of particles, solve the “curse of dimensionality” and efficiently represent wavefunctions in exponentially large Hilbert spaces. In this work, we use methodologies from information theory, group theory and machine learning, to elucidate how CNN captures relevant physics of quantum systems. We connect CNNs to a class of restricted maximum entropy (MaxEnt) and entangled plaquette correlator product state (EP-CPS) models that approximate symmetry constrained classical correlations between subsystems. For the final part of the puzzle, inspired by similar analyses for matrix product states and tensor networks, we show that the CNNs rely on the spectrum of each subsystem's entanglement Hamiltonians as captured by the size of the convolutional filter. All put together, these allow CNNs to simulate exponential quantum wave functions using a model that scales at most linear in system size as well as provide clues into when CNNs might fail to simulate Hamiltonians. We incorporate our insights into a new training algorithm and demonstrate its improved efficiency, accuracy, and robustness. Finally, we use regression analysis to show how the CNNs solutions can be used to identify salient physical features of the system that are the most relevant to an efficient approximation. Our integrated approach can be extended to similarly analyzing other neural network architectures and quantum spin systems. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

Electron transfer is at the heart of many fundamental physical, chemical, and biochemical processes essential for life. The exact simulation of these reactions is often hindered by the large number of degrees of freedom and by the essential role of quantum effects. Here, we experimentally simulate a paradigmatic model of molecular electron transfer using a multispecies trapped-ion crystal, where the donor-acceptor gap, the electronic and vibronic couplings, and the bath relaxation dynamics can all be controlled independently. By manipulating both the ground-state and optical qubits, we observe the real-time dynamics of the spin excitation, measuring the transfer rate in several regimes of adiabaticity and relaxation dynamics. Our results provide a testing ground for increasingly rich models of molecular excitation transfer processes that are relevant for molecular electronics and light-harvesting systems.