Topological Classification of Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in the 1D XY model via Critical Mode Analysis
Pith reviewed 2026-05-23 22:32 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Critical interior modes produce integer winding DQPTs while boundary modes produce half-integer ones in the 1D XY model.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
The topological diversity of DQPTs originates from the nature of the critical modes, which are classified into boundary modes and interior modes. Critical interior modes always lead to DQPTs with an integer winding number, while critical boundary modes always result in DQPTs characterized by a half-integer winding number. By analyzing the number and classification of critical modes, DQPTs in the one-dimensional XY model are categorized into six types according to their distinct topological features, with corresponding dynamical phase diagrams provided for each.
What carries the argument
Classification of critical modes into interior (integer winding) versus boundary (half-integer winding) types, which fixes the topological class of each DQPT.
If this is right
- DQPTs fall into six topological categories determined by the possible combinations of interior and boundary critical modes.
- Three of the six categories have not been identified in earlier work on the XY model.
- The same interior-boundary distinction supplies the winding number for any quench in the SSH model, Kitaev chain, Rice-Mele model, or Creutz model.
- Dynamical phase diagrams can be drawn for each of the six types by locating the quenches that activate the corresponding mode combinations.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The mode classification may allow prediction of winding numbers in other two-band chains without computing the full Loschmidt echo.
- If the rule survives weak interactions, it could classify DQPTs in models that are not strictly free fermions.
- Numerical checks on finite but large chains could test whether the integer versus half-integer distinction remains sharp when the critical mode sits very close to the zone boundary.
Load-bearing premise
The topological class of a DQPT is fixed solely by whether its critical modes are interior or boundary, with no further dependence on quench details or system size.
What would settle it
A single explicit quench in the XY model that produces a DQPT whose winding-number jump is half-integer when driven only by interior critical modes, or integer when driven only by boundary critical modes.
Figures
read the original abstract
Dynamical quantum phase transitions (DQPTs), which serve as a theoretical framework for understanding far-from-equilibrium physics in quantum many-body systems, have recently been observed experimentally. Their topological properties are typically characterized by the winding number, which acts as an order parameter. While DQPTs exhibiting both integer and half-integer jumps in the winding number have been reported, the underlying mechanisms behind these distinct topological behaviors, as well as the potential existence of other topological classes, remain open questions. To address this, we investigate DQPTs in the one-dimensional XY model under a quench protocol. We show that the observed topological diversity originates from the nature of the critical modes, which we classify into two categories: boundary modes and interior modes. Specifically, critical interior modes always lead to DQPTs with an integer winding number, while critical boundary modes always result in DQPTs characterized by a half-integer winding number. By analyzing the number and classification of critical modes, we provide a classification of the topological properties of DQPTs in the one-dimensional XY model. According to their distinct topological features, we categorize DQPTs into six types, three of which have not been previously identified in the literature. We discuss in detail the conditions associated with each type and present the corresponding dynamical phase diagrams. Our framework is not restricted to the XY model; it is applicable to other two-band models in one-dimensional systems, including the SSH model, Kitaev chain, Rice-Mele model, and Creutz model.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The manuscript claims that DQPTs in the 1D XY model under quenches arise from critical modes that fall into two classes—boundary and interior—with interior modes always producing integer winding-number jumps and boundary modes always producing half-integer jumps. Counting and labeling these modes yields a six-type topological classification of DQPTs (three previously unreported), together with associated dynamical phase diagrams; the framework is asserted to extend to other 1D two-band models.
Significance. If the mode-type rule is shown to be robust, the work supplies a concrete, predictive taxonomy that accounts for the coexistence of integer and half-integer winding numbers and identifies new classes, thereby organizing a body of numerical and experimental observations in integrable 1D systems.
major comments (2)
- [abstract and critical-mode classification section] The central claim that the winding-number jump is fixed solely by whether a critical mode is boundary or interior (abstract and the classification section) is load-bearing. The manuscript must demonstrate explicitly that this assignment is insensitive to the concrete quench trajectory in (h,γ) space, the k-location of the critical point inside the Brillouin zone, and simultaneous passage through multiple critical points; otherwise the six-type taxonomy does not follow.
- [section deriving the winding jump from the mode product] The Loschmidt amplitude is a product over k-modes. The derivation that a boundary-mode contribution cannot be altered by the dispersion relation or by finite-size corrections (thereby preserving the strict half-integer jump) is not shown to be general; a counter-example or analytic argument ruling out such dependence is required.
minor comments (2)
- [mode classification paragraph] Notation for “boundary” versus “interior” modes should be defined with an explicit k-interval or dispersion criterion rather than left implicit.
- [phase-diagram figures] The dynamical phase diagrams would benefit from an overlay of the quench paths used to realize each of the six types.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for the careful reading and constructive criticism. We agree that the central claims require explicit demonstrations of insensitivity and generality to fully support the proposed classification. Below we respond to each major comment and indicate the planned revisions.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: [abstract and critical-mode classification section] The central claim that the winding-number jump is fixed solely by whether a critical mode is boundary or interior (abstract and the classification section) is load-bearing. The manuscript must demonstrate explicitly that this assignment is insensitive to the concrete quench trajectory in (h,γ) space, the k-location of the critical point inside the Brillouin zone, and simultaneous passage through multiple critical points; otherwise the six-type taxonomy does not follow.
Authors: We agree that an explicit demonstration of insensitivity is necessary to substantiate the load-bearing claim. In the revised manuscript we will insert a dedicated subsection immediately after the critical-mode classification. This subsection will (i) consider representative quench trajectories spanning different paths in (h,γ) space that cross the same critical mode, (ii) vary the Brillouin-zone location of the critical point while keeping its boundary/interior character fixed, and (iii) examine simultaneous crossings of multiple critical modes of mixed types. Analytic arguments based on the Loschmidt-echo product structure together with numerical scans will show that the winding-number jump remains determined exclusively by mode type, thereby justifying the six-type taxonomy. revision: yes
-
Referee: [section deriving the winding jump from the mode product] The Loschmidt amplitude is a product over k-modes. The derivation that a boundary-mode contribution cannot be altered by the dispersion relation or by finite-size corrections (thereby preserving the strict half-integer jump) is not shown to be general; a counter-example or analytic argument ruling out such dependence is required.
Authors: We concur that the generality of the boundary-mode half-integer contribution must be established more rigorously. In the revised derivation section we will augment the product-form analysis with an explicit analytic argument: near a boundary critical point the phase accumulation contributed by that mode is shown to be exactly π (mod 2π) independent of the concrete dispersion relation, because the relevant matrix element vanishes linearly while the gap closes quadratically. Finite-size corrections are addressed by demonstrating that any 1/L corrections to the Loschmidt amplitude vanish in the thermodynamic limit and do not alter the topological jump; this is supported by analytic bounds and numerical checks across system sizes up to several hundred sites for representative dispersions. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No circularity; classification derived from explicit mode analysis of Loschmidt amplitude
full rationale
The paper's central derivation classifies DQPTs by counting and labeling critical modes (boundary vs. interior) in the product-form Loschmidt amplitude of the XY model, then assigns integer vs. half-integer winding jumps on that basis. No quoted step reduces a prediction to a fitted parameter, renames a known result, or loads the uniqueness claim on a self-citation whose content is itself unverified. The six-type taxonomy follows directly from enumerating mode combinations under the stated quench protocol; external applicability to SSH, Kitaev, etc., is asserted without circular bootstrap. This is the normal non-circular case.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (2)
- domain assumption The winding number functions as a topological order parameter that jumps at DQPTs
- domain assumption The 1D XY model and similar systems are two-band models whose critical modes can be classified as boundary or interior
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
The other parameters are γ = 0. 5, γ ′ = 2 and n = 0. /s40/s99/s41 /s120/s107 /s121/s107 /s116/s52/s61/s51/s46/s57/s53 /s116/s53/s61/s53/s46/s49 FIG. 3: (Color online) Lines of Fisher zeros (a), the time evo lution of rate function r(t) (blue curves in b), the winding number ν(t) (red curves in b) and the trajectory of vector ⃗Rk = ( xk, y k) (c) for the ...
-
[2]
The other parameters are γ = 0. 5, γ ′ = 2 and n = 0. In other words, if the transverse field is quenched across the quantum critical point |λ c|= 1, i.e., |λ|< 1 → | λ ′|> 1 or |λ|> 1 → | λ ′|< 1, SDQPT-1 would occur. If γγ ′ = 0, two critical body modes k∗ 1 = arccos( −λ) and k∗ 2 = arccos( −λ ′) could be found for |λ| < 1 and |λ ′|< 1. However, whether ...
-
[3]
In addition, for |λ ′| = 1, two critical modes k∗ 1 = π and k∗ 2 = arccos − λλ′+γγ ′ 1− γγ ′ (λ ′ = 1) or k∗ 1 = 0 and k∗ 2 = arccos λλ′+γγ ′ 1− γγ ′ (λ ′ = − 1) could be found if ⏐ ⏐ ⏐λλ ′ +γγ ′ 1 − γγ ′ ⏐ ⏐ ⏐< 1. (30) The critical edge mode k∗ 1 = π or 0 does not cause any SDQPT because d′ k∗ 1 = 0, but the critical body mode k∗ 2 = arccos − λλ′+γγ ′ 1−...
-
[4]
Heyl, Dynamical quantum phase transitions: A brief survey, Europhys
M. Heyl, Dynamical quantum phase transitions: A brief survey, Europhys. Lett. 125, 26001 (2019)
work page 2019
-
[5]
Heyl, Dynamical quantum phase transitions: a re- view, Rep
M. Heyl, Dynamical quantum phase transitions: a re- view, Rep. Prog. Phys. 81, 054001 (2018)
work page 2018
- [6]
- [7]
-
[8]
V. I. Yukalov, Equilibration and thermalization in finit e quantum systems, Laser Phys. Lett. 8, 485 (2011)
work page 2011
- [9]
-
[10]
M. Greiner, O. Mandel, T. W. H¨ ansch, and I. Bloch, Quantum phase transition from a superfluid to a Mott insulator in a gas of ultracold atoms, Nature (London) 419, 51 (2002)
work page 2002
-
[11]
D. Porras and J. I. Cirac, Effective quantum spin sys- tems with trapped ions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 207901 (2004)
work page 2004
- [12]
-
[13]
P. Jurcevic, B. P. Lanyon, P. Hauke, C. Hempel, P. Zoller, R. Blatt, and C. F. Roos, Quasiparticle engineer- ing and entanglement propagation in a quantum many- body system, Nature (London) 511, 202 (2014)
work page 2014
- [14]
-
[15]
A. Sen, S. Nandy, and K. Sengupta, Entanglement gen- eration in periodically driven integrable systems: Dy- namical phase transitions and steady state, Phys. Rev. B 94, 214301 (2016)
work page 2016
- [16]
-
[17]
A. A. Makki, S. Bandyopadhyay, S. Maity, and A. Dutta, Dynamical crossover behavior in the relaxation of quenched quantum many-body systems, Phys. Rev. B 105, 054301 (2022)
work page 2022
- [18]
- [19]
- [20]
-
[21]
K. Cao, Y. Hu, P. Tong, and G. Yang, Dynamical relax- ation behavior of an extended XY chain with a gapless phase following a quantum quench, Phys. Rev. B 109, 024303 (2024)
work page 2024
-
[22]
Y.-H. Huang, Y.-T. Zou, and C. Ding, Dynamical relax- ation of a long-range Kitaev chain, Phys. Rev. B 109, 094309 (2024)
work page 2024
-
[23]
A. Polkovnikov, K. Sengupta, A. Silva, and M. Ven- galattore, Colloquium: Nonequilibrium dynamics of closed interacting quantum systems, Rev. Mod. Phys. 83, 863 (2011)
work page 2011
-
[24]
M. Heyl, A. Polkovnikov, S. Kehrein, Dynamical Quan- tum Phase Transitions in the Transverse Field Ising Model, Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 135704 (2013)
work page 2013
-
[25]
Heyl, Scaling and universality at dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys
M. Heyl, Scaling and universality at dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 140602 (2015)
work page 2015
- [26]
-
[27]
U. Bhattacharya, S. Bandyopadhyay, and A. Dutta, Mixed state dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys. Rev. B 96, 180303(R) (2017)
work page 2017
-
[28]
M. Heyl and J. C. Budich, Dynamical topological quan- tum phase transitions for mixed states, Phys. Rev. B 96, 180304(R) (2017)
work page 2017
-
[29]
H. Lang, Y. Chen, Q. Hong, and H. Fan, Dynamical quantum phase transition for mixed states in open sys- tems, Phys. Rev. B 98, 134310 (2018)
work page 2018
-
[30]
B. Mera, C. Vlachou, N. Paunkovi´ c, V. R. Vieira, and O. Viyuela, Dynamical phase transitions at finite temper- ature from fidelity and interferometric Loschmidt echo 12 induced metrics, Phys. Rev. B 97, 094110 (2018)
work page 2018
- [31]
-
[32]
K. Yang, L. Zhou, W. Ma, X. Kong, P. Wang, X. Qin, X. Rong, Y. Wang, F. Shi, J. Gong, and J. Du, Flo- quet dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys. Rev. B 100, 085308 (2019)
work page 2019
- [33]
-
[34]
L. Zhou and Q. Du, Floquet dynamical quantum phase transitions in periodically quenched systems, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 33, 345403 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[35]
R. Jafari and A. Akbari, Floquet dynamical phase tran- sition and entanglement spectrum, Phys. Rev. A 103, 012204 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[36]
R. Hamazaki, Exceptional dynamical quantum phase transitions in periodically driven systems, Nature Com- mun. 12, 5108 (2021)
work page 2021
- [37]
-
[38]
L.-N. Luan, M.-Y. Zhang, and L. Wang, Floquet dy- namical quantum phase transitions of the XY spin- chain under periodic quenching, Physica A 604, 127866 (2022)
work page 2022
- [39]
-
[40]
A. Kosior and K. Sacha, Dynamical quantum phase transitions in discrete time crystals, Phys. Rev. A 97, 053621 (2018)
work page 2018
- [41]
-
[42]
J. Naji, R. Jafari, L. Zhou, and A. Langari, Engineering Floquet dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys. Rev. B 106, 094314 (2022)
work page 2022
- [43]
-
[44]
N. Sedlmayr, P. Jaeger, M. Maiti, and J. Sirker, Bulk- boundary correspondence for dynamical phase transi- tions in one-dimensional topological insulators and su- perconductors, Phys. Rev. B 97, 064304 (2018)
work page 2018
-
[45]
T. Mas/suppress lowski and N. Sedlmayr, Quasiperiodic dynami- cal quantum phase transitions in multiband topological insulators and connections with entanglement entropy and fidelity susceptibility, Phys. Rev. B 101, 014301 (2020)
work page 2020
- [46]
-
[47]
M. Schmitt and S. Kehrein, Dynamical quantum phase transitions in the Kitaev honeycomb model, Phys. Rev. B 92, 075114 (2015)
work page 2015
-
[48]
L. Rossi and F. Dolcini, Nonlinear current and dy- namical quantum phase transitions in the flux-quenched Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, Phys. Rev. B 106, 045410 (2022)
work page 2022
-
[49]
L. Zhou, Q.-h. Wang, H. Wang, and J. Gong, Dynam- ical quantum phase transitions in non-Hermitian lat- tices, Phys. Rev. A 98, 022129 (2018)
work page 2018
-
[50]
L. Zhou and Q. Du, Non-Hermitian topological phases and dynamical quantum phase transitions: A generic connection, New J. Phys. 23, 063041 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[51]
D. Mondal and T. Nag, Anomaly in the dynamical quantum phase transition in a non-Hermitian system with extended gapless phases, Phys. Rev. B 106, 054308 (2022)
work page 2022
-
[52]
D. Mondal and T. Nag, Finite temperature dynamical quantum phase transition in a non-Hermitian system, Phys. Rev. B 107, 184311 (2023)
work page 2023
-
[53]
D. Mondal and T. Nag, Persistent anomaly in dynamical quantum phase transition in long-range non-Hermitian p-wave Kitaev chain. Eur. Phys. J. B 97, 59 (2024)
work page 2024
-
[54]
Y. Jing, J.-J. Dong, Y.-Y. Zhang, and Z.-X. Hu, Biorthogonal Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in Non-Hermitian Systems, Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 220402 (2024)
work page 2024
-
[55]
C. Karrasch and D. Schuricht, Dynamical phase tran- sitions after quenches in nonintegrable models, Phys. Rev. B 87, 195104 (2013)
work page 2013
- [56]
-
[57]
H. Cheraghi, S. Mahdavifar, Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in the 1D Nonintegrable Spin-1/2 Transverse Field XZZ Model, Ann. Phys. (Berlin) 533, 2000542 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[58]
D. M. Kennes, D. Schuricht, and C. Karrasch, Control- ling dynamical quantum phase transitions, Phys. Rev. B 97, 184302 (2018)
work page 2018
-
[59]
F. Andraschko and J. Sirker, Dynamical quantum phase transitions and the Loschmidt echo: A transfer matrix approach, Phys. Rev. B 89, 125120 (2014)
work page 2014
-
[60]
J. C. Halimeh, M. V. Damme, L. Guo, J. Lang, and P. Hauke, Dynamical phase transitions in quantum spin models with antiferromagnetic long-range interactions, Phys. Rev. B 104, 115133 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[61]
I. Hagym´ asi, C. Hubig, ¨O. Legeza, and U. Schollw¨ ock, Dynamical Topological Quantum Phase Transitions in Nonintegrable Models, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 250601 (2019)
work page 2019
-
[62]
K. Cao, W. Li, M. Zhong, and P. Tong, Influence of weak disorder on the dynamical quantum phase tran- sitions in the anisotropic xy chain, Phys. Rev. B 102, 014207 (2020)
work page 2020
-
[63]
O. N. Kuliashov, A. A. Markov, and A. N. Rubtsov, Dynamical quantum phase transition without an order parameter, Phys. Rev. B 107, 094304 (2023)
work page 2023
- [64]
-
[65]
P. Jurcevic, H. Shen, P. Hauke, C. Maier, T. Brydges, C. Hempel, B. P. Lanyon, M. Heyl, R. Blatt, and C. F. Roos, Direct Observation of Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in an Interacting Many-Body System, Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 080501 (2017)
work page 2017
-
[66]
N. Fl¨ aschner, D. Vogel, M. Tarnowski, B. S. Rem, D.-S. 13 L¨ uhmann, M. Heyl, J. C. Budich, L. Mathey, K. Sen- gstock, and C. Weitenberg, Observation of dynamical vortices after quenches in a system with topology, Nat. Phys. 14, 265 (2018)
work page 2018
-
[67]
X.-Y. Guo, C. Yang, Y. Zeng, Y. Peng, H.-K. Li, H. Deng, Y.-R. Jin, S. Chen, D. Zheng, and H. Fan, Ob- servation of a Dynamical Quantum Phase Transition by a Superconducting Qubit Simulation, Phys. Rev. Ap- plied 11, 044080 (2019)
work page 2019
-
[68]
T. Tian, Y. Ke, L. Zhang, S. Lin, Z. Shi, P. Huang, C. Lee, and J. Du, Observation of dynamical phase tran- sitions in a topological nanomechanical system, Phys. Rev. B 100, 024310 (2019)
work page 2019
-
[69]
K. Wang, X. Qiu, L. Xiao, X. Zhan, Z. Bian, W. Yi, and P. Xue, Simulating Dynamic Quantum Phase Tran- sitions in Photonic Quantum Walks, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 020501 (2019)
work page 2019
- [70]
-
[71]
Heyl, Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in Sys- tems with Broken-Symmetry Phases, Phys
M. Heyl, Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in Sys- tems with Broken-Symmetry Phases, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 205701 (2014)
work page 2014
-
[72]
J. C. Budich and M. Heyl, Dynamical topological or- der parameters far from equilibrium, Phys. Rev. B 93, 085416 (2016)
work page 2016
-
[73]
U. Bhattacharya and A. Dutta, Emergent topology and dynamical quantum phase transitions in two- dimensional closed quantum systems, Phys. Rev. B 96, 014302 (2017)
work page 2017
-
[74]
A. Kosior and M. Heyl, Vortex loop dynamics and dy- namical quantum phase transitions in three-dimensional fermion matter, Phys. Rev. B 109, L140303 (2024)
work page 2024
-
[75]
W. C. Yu, P. D. Sacramento, Y. C. Li, and H.-Q. Lin, Correlations and dynamical quantum phase transitions in an interacting topological insulator, Phys. Rev. B 104, 085104 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[76]
J. C. Halimeh, D. Trapin, M. Van Damme, and M. Heyl, Local measures of dynamical quantum phase tran- sitions, Phys. Rev. B 104, 075130 (2021)
work page 2021
-
[77]
C.-X. Li, S. Yang, J.-B. Xu, and H.-Q. Lin, Exploring dynamical quantum phase transitions in a spin model with deconfined critical point via the quantum steering ellipsoid, Phys. Rev. B 107, 085130 (2023)
work page 2023
- [78]
-
[79]
Laflorencie, Quantum entanglement in condensed matter systems, Phys
N. Laflorencie, Quantum entanglement in condensed matter systems, Phys. Rep. 646, 1 (2016)
work page 2016
- [80]
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.