Physics (Internal)

Quantum aging, universal real-time crossovers, and the non-equilibrium phase diagram of pre-thermal critical states

This event is part of the Biophysics/Condensed Matter Seminar Series.

Inspired by the phenomenon of aging occurring in classical statistical physics, I will discuss the imprint of similar real-time scaling behaviour in the dynamics of correlation and response functions in a far from equilibrium O(N) interacting field theory, quenched at its dynamical critical point. Universal pre-thermal dynamics after such quantum quench, first approaches an attractor analog of a fixed point dominated by quantum fluctuations, reaching subsequently a more stable fixed point with classical thermal-like features due to the energy injected by the quench. Solving the RG crossover from quantum to classical fixed points and employing the exactly solvable large N limit, I will show how static and dynamical critical exponents cross over among the two fixed points and affect observables of physical interest. Time permitting, I will briefly discuss the expected phase diagram for this novel type of non-equilibrium criticality occurring during pre-thermalization.