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We extend the quantum geometric tensor from the state space to the operator level,and investigate its properties like the additivity for factorizable models and the splitting of two kinds contributions for the case of stationary reference states. This operator-quantum-geometric tensor (OQGT) is shown to reflect the sensitivity of unitary operations against perturbations of multi parameters. General results for the cases of time evolutions with given stationary reference states are obtained. By this approach, we get exact results for the rotated XY models, and show relations between the OQGT and quantum criticality.

The occurrence of parity-time reversal ($\mathcal{PT}$) symmetry breaking is discussed in a non-Hermitian spin chain. The Hermiticity of the model is broken by the presence of an alternating, imaginary, transverse magnetic field. A full real spectrum, which occurs if and only if all the eigenvectors are $\mathcal{PT}$ symmetric, can appear only in presence of dimerization, i.e. only if the hopping amplitudes between nearest-neighbor spins assume alternate values along the chain. In order to make a connection between such system and the Hermitian world, we study the critical magnetic properties of the model and look for the conditions that would allow to observe the same phase diagram in the absence of the imaginary field. Such procedure amounts to renormalizing the spin-spin coupling amplitudes.

A one-dimensional quantum version of the frustrated XY (planar rotor) model is considered which can be physically realized as a ladder of Josephson-junctions at half a flux quantum per plaquette. This system undergoes a superconductor to insulator transition at zero temperature as a function of charging energy. The critical behavior is studied using a Monte Carlo transfer matrix applied to the path-integral representation of the model and a finite-size-scaling analysis of data on small system sizes. Depending on the ratio between the interchain and intrachain couplings the system can have single or double transitions which is consistent with the prediction that its critical behavior should be described by the two-dimensional classical XY-Ising model.

A main distinguishing feature of non-Hermitian quantum mechanics is the presence of exceptional points (EPs). They correspond to the coalescence of two energy levels and their respective eigenvectors. Here, we use the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick (LMG) model as a testbed to explore the strong connection between EPs and the onset of excited state quantum phase transitions (ESQPTs). We show that for finite systems, the exact degeneracies (EPs) obtained with the non-Hermitian LMG Hamiltonian continued into the complex plane are directly linked with the avoided crossings that characterize the ESQPTs for the real (physical) LMG Hamiltonian. The values of the complex control parameter $\alpha$ that lead to the EPs approach the real axis as the system size $N\rightarrow \infty$. This happens for both, the EPs that are close to the separatrix that marks the ESQPT and also for those that are far away, although in the latter case, the rate the imaginary part of $\alpha$ reduces to zero as $N$ increases is smaller. With the method of Pad\'e approximants, we can extract the critical value of $\alpha$.

A spin-orbital chain with different Land\'e $g$ factors and one-ion anisotropy is studied in the context of the thermodynamical Bethe ansatz. It is found that there exists a magnetization plateau resulting from the different Land\'e $g$ factors. Detailed phase diagram in the presence of an external magnetic field is presented both numerically and analytically. For some values of the anisotropy, the four-component system undergoes five consecutive quantum phase transitions when the magnetic field varies. We also study the magnetization in various cases, especially its behaviors in the vicinity of the critical points. For the SU(4) spin-orbital model, explicit analytical expressions for the critical fields are derived, with excellent accuracy compared with numerics.

Due to weak spin-orbit coupling, the magnetic excitations of an itinerant ferromagnet become magnetic rotons, excitations with degenerate minima on a hypersphere at finite wavevector. Using self-consistent Hartree and renormalization group calculations, we study weak fluctuation-driven first-order quantum phase transitions, a quantum tricritical point controlled by anisotropy and the non-Fermi liquid behavior associated with the large phase volume of magnetic rotons. We propose that magnetic rotons are essential for the description of the anomalous high-pressure behavior of the itinerant helical ferromagnet MnSi.

We study the ground-state phase transitions of quasi-one-dimensional quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnets by the quantum Monte Carlo method with the continuous-time loop algorithm and finite-size scaling. For a model which consists of S=1 chains with bond alternation coupled on a square lattice, we determine the ground state phase diagram and the universality class of the quantum phase transitions.

Collective properties of a quasi-two-dimensional (2D) system of spatially indirect magnetoexcitons in coupled quantum wells (CQW) in high magnetic field $H$ were analyzed in the presence of disorder. The Hamiltonian of the dilute gas of magnetoexcitons with dipole-dipole repulsion in a random field has been reduced to the Hamiltonian of a dilute gas of dipolar excitons without an applied magnetic field, but in an $H$-dependent effective random field and having an effective mass of magnetoexciton which is a function of the magnetic field and parameters of the CQW. For 2D magnetoexcitonic systems, the increase of the magnetic field $H$ and the interwell distance $D$ is found to increase the effective renormalized random field parameter $Q$ and suppress the superfluid density $n_s$ and the temperature of the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition $T_c$. It is shown that in the presence of the disorder there is a quantum transition to the superfluid state at zero temperature T=0 with respect to the magnetic field $H$ and the parameters of the disorder. There is no superfluidity at any exciton density in the presence of the disorder at sufficiently large magnetic field $H$ or sufficiently large disorder.

Collective properties of a quasi-two-dimensional (2D) system of spatially indirect magnetoexcitons in coupled quantum wells (CQW) in high magnetic field $H$ were analyzed in the presence of disorder. The Hamiltonian of the dilute gas of magnetoexcitons with dipole-dipole repulsion in a random field has been reduced to the Hamiltonian of a dilute gas of dipolar excitons without an applied magnetic field, but in an $H$-dependent effective random field and having an effective mass of magnetoexciton which is a function of the magnetic field and parameters of the CQW. For 2D magnetoexcitonic systems, the increase of the magnetic field $H$ and the interwell distance $D$ is found to increase the effective renormalized random field parameter $Q$ and suppress the superfluid density $n_s$ and the temperature of the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition $T_c$. It is shown that in the presence of the disorder there is a quantum transition to the superfluid state at zero temperature T=0 with respect to the magnetic field $H$ and the parameters of the disorder. There is no superfluidity at any exciton density in the presence of the disorder at sufficiently large magnetic field $H$ or sufficiently large disorder.

We study the quantum phase transition mechanisms that arise in the Interacting Boson Model. We show that the second-order nature of the phase transition from U(5) to O(6) may be attributed to quantum integrability, whereas all the first-order phase transitions of the model are due to level repulsion with one singular point of level crossing. We propose a model Hamiltonian with a true first-order phase transition for finite systems due to level crossings.

We show that the XY quantum chain in a magnetic field is invariant under a two parameter deformation of the $SU(1/1)$ superalgebra. One is led to an extension of the braid group and the Hecke algebras which reduce to the known ones when the two parameter coincide. The physical significance of the two parameters is discussed. When both are equal to one, one gets a Pokrovski-Talapov phase transition. We also show that the representation theory of the quantum superalgebras indicates how to take the appropriate thermodynamical limits.

We define an entropy for a quantum field theory by combining quantum fluctuations, scaling and the maximum entropy concept. This entropy has different behavior in asymptotically free and non--asymptotically free theories. We find that the transition between the two regimes (from the asymptotically free to the non--asymptotically free) takes place via a continuous phase transition. For asymptotically free theories there exist regimes where the ``temperatures" are negative. In asymptotically free theories there exist maser--like states mostly in the infrared; furthermore, as one goes into the ultraviolet and more matter states contribute to quantum processes, the quantum field system can shed entropy and cause the formation of thermodynamically stable {\it entropy--ordered} states. It is shown how the known heavier quarks can be thus described.

We propose a relationship between thermodynamic phase transitions and ground-state quantum phase transitions in systems with variable Hamiltonian parameters. It is based on a link between zeros of the canonical partition function at complex temperatures and exceptional points of a quantum Hamiltonian in the complex-extended parameter space. This approach is applied in the interacting boson model, where it is shown to properly distinguish the first- and second-order phase transitions.

Quantum quench dynamics is considered in a one dimensional unitary matrix model with a single trace potential. This model is integrable and has been studied in the context of non-critical string theory. We find dynamical phase transitions, and study the role of the quantum critical point. In course of the time evolutions, we find evidence of selective equilibration for a certain class of observables. The equilibrium is governed by the Generalized Gibbs Ensemble (GGE) and differs from the standard Gibbs ensemble. We compute the production of entropy which is O(N) for large N matrices. An important feature of the equilibration is the appearance of an energy cascade, reminiscent of the Richardson cascade in turbulence, where we find flow of energy from initial long wavelength modes to progressively shorter wavelength excitations. We discuss possible implication of the equilibration and of GGE in string theories and higher spin theories. In another related study, we compute time evolutions in a double trace unitary matrix model, which arises as an effective theory of D2 branes in IIA string theory in the confinement phase. We find similar equilibrations and dynamical transitions in this matrix model. The dynamical transitions are related to Gregory-Laflamme transitions in string theory and are potentially connected with the issue of appearance of naked singularities.

We experimentally study two quantum phase transitions in a sodium spinor condensate immersed in a microwave dressing field. We also demonstrate that many previously unexplored regions in the phase diagram of spinor condensates can be investigated by adiabatically tuning the microwave field across one of the two quantum phase transitions. This method overcomes two major experimental challenges associated with some widely used methods, and is applicable to other atomic species. Agreements between our data and the mean-field theory for spinor Bose gases are also discussed.

We define geometric critical exponents for systems that undergo continuous second order classical and quantum phase transitions. These relate scalar quantities on the information theoretic parameter manifolds of such systems, near criticality. We calculate these exponents by approximating the metric and thereby solving geodesic equations analytically, near curvature singularities of two dimensional parameter manifolds. The critical exponents are seen to be the same for both classical and quantum systems that we consider, and we provide evidence about the possible universality of our results.

Non-perturbative approaches to quantum gravity call for a deep understanding of the emergence of geometry and locality from the quantum state of the gravitational field. Without background geometry, the notion of distance should entirely emerge from the correlations between the gravity fluctuations. In the context of loop quantum gravity, quantum states of geometry are defined as spin networks. These are graphs decorated with spin and intertwiners, which represent quantized excitations of areas and volumes of the space geometry. Here, we develop the condensed matter point of view on extracting the physical and geometrical information out of spin network states: we introduce new Ising spin network states, both in 2d on a square lattice and in 3d on a hexagonal lattice, whose correlations map onto the usual Ising model in statistical physics. We construct these states from the basic holonomy operators of loop gravity and derive a set of local Hamiltonian constraints which entirely characterize our states. We discuss their phase diagram and show how the distance can be reconstructed from the correlations in the various phases. Finally, we propose generalizations of these Ising states, which open the perspective to study the coarse graining and dynamics of spin network states using well-known condensed matter techniques and results.

In response to recent chemical attempts to construct higher-spin ladder materials from organic polyradicals, we study the ground-state properties of a wide class of antiferromagnetic spin-1 ladders. Employing various numerical tools, we reveal the rich phase diagram and correct a preceding nonlinear-sigma-model prediction. A variational analysis well interprets the phase competition with particular emphasis on the {\it re-entrant phase boundary} as a function of the rung interaction.

When a metal undergoes a continuous quantum phase transition, non-Fermi liquid behaviour arises near the critical point. It is standard to assume that all low-energy degrees of freedom induced by quantum criticality are spatially extended, corresponding to long-wavelength fluctuations of the order parameter. However, this picture has been contradicted by recent experiments on a prototype system: heavy fermion metals at a zero-temperature magnetic transition. In particular, neutron scattering from CeCu$_{6-x}$Au$_x$ has revealed anomalous dynamics at atomic length scales, leading to much debate as to the fate of the local moments in the quantum-critical regime. Here we report our theoretical finding of a locally critical quantum phase transition in a model of heavy fermions. The dynamics at the critical point are in agreement with experiment. We also argue that local criticality is a phenomenon of general relevance to strongly correlated metals, including doped Mott insulators.

It is argued that the phase transition in low-T_c clean itinerant ferromagnets is generically of first order, due to correlation effects that lead to a nonanalytic term in the free energy. A tricritical point separates the line of first order transitions from Heisenberg critical behavior at higher temperatures. Sufficiently strong quenched disorder suppresses the first order transition via the appearance of a critical endpoint. A semi-quantitative discussion is given in terms of recent experiments on MnSi and UGe_2. It is then shown that the critical temperature for spin-triplet, p-wave superconductivity mediated by spin fluctuations is generically much higher in a Heisenberg ferromagnetic phase than in a paramagnetic one, due to the coupling of magnons to the longitudinal magnetic susceptibility. This qualitatively explains the phase diagram recently observed in UGe_2 and ZrZn_2.

We investigate ground-state properties and quantum phase transitions in the one-dimensional S=1 spin-orbital model relevant to cubic vanadates. Using the density matrix renormalization group, we compute the ground-state energy, the magnetization and the correlation functions for different values of the Hund's coupling $J_H$ and the external magnetic field. It is found that the magnetization jumps at a certain critical field, which is a hallmark of the field-induced first-order phase transition. The phase transition driven by $J_H$ is also of first order. We also consider how the lattice-induced ferro-type interaction between orbitals modifies the phase diagram, and discuss the results in a context of the first-order phase transition observed in YVO$_3$ at 77K.

We investigate ground-state properties and quantum phase transitions in the one-dimensional S=1 spin-orbital model relevant to cubic vanadates. Using the density matrix renormalization group, we compute the ground-state energy, the magnetization and the correlation functions for different values of the Hund's coupling $J_H$ and the external magnetic field. It is found that the magnetization jumps at a certain critical field, which is a hallmark of the field-induced first-order phase transition. The phase transition driven by $J_H$ is also of first order. We also consider how the lattice-induced ferro-type interaction between orbitals modifies the phase diagram, and discuss the results in a context of the first-order phase transition observed in YVO$_3$ at 77K.

It is proposed that the event horizon of a black hole is a quantum phase transition of the vacuum of space-time analogous to the liquid-vapor critical point of a bose fluid. The equations of classical general relativity remain valid arbitrarily close to the horizon yet fail there through the divergence of a characteristic coherence length. The integrity of global time, required for conventional quantum mechanics to be defined, is maintained. The metric inside the event horizon is different from that predicted by classical general relativity and may be de Sitter space. The deviations from classical behavior lead to distinct spectroscopic and bolometric signatures that can, in principle, be observed at large distances from the black hole.

This article contains a theoretical overview of the physical properties of antiferromagnetic Mott insulators in spatial dimensions greater than one. Many such materials have been experimentally studied in the past decade and a half, and we make contact with these studies. The simplest class of Mott insulators have an even number of S=1/2 spins per unit cell, and these can be described with quantitative accuracy by the bond operator method: we discuss their spin gap and magnetically ordered states, and the transitions between them driven by pressure or an applied magnetic field. The case of an odd number of S=1/2 spins per unit cell is more subtle: here the spin gap state can spontaneously develop bond order (so the ground state again has an even number of S=1/2 spins per unit cell), and/or acquire topological order and fractionalized excitations. We describe the conditions under which such spin gap states can form, and survey recent theories (T. Senthil et al., cond-mat/0312617) of the quantum phase transitions among these states and magnetically ordered states. We describe the breakdown of the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm at these quantum critical points, accompanied by the appearance of emergent gauge excitations.

The spectrum of the non-hermitian asymmetric XXZ-chain with additional non-diagonal boundary terms is studied. The lowest lying eigenvalues are determined numerically. For the ferromagnetic and completely asymmetric chain that corresponds to a reaction-diffusion model with input and outflow of particles the smallest energy gap which corresponds directly to the inverse of the temporal correlation length shows the same properties as the spatial correlation length of the stationary state. For the antiferromagnetic chain with both boundary terms, we find a conformal invariant spectrum where the partition function corresponds to the one of a Coulomb gas with only magnetic charges shifted by a purely imaginary and a lattice-length dependent constant. Similar results are obtained by studying a toy model that can be diagonalized analytically in terms of free fermions.

We consider 2D gas of spinless fermions with the Coulomb and the short range interactions on a square lattice at T=0. Using exact diagonalization technique we study finite clusters up to 16 particles at filling factors $\nu=1/2$ and 1/6. By increasing the hopping amplitude we obtain the low-energy spectrum of the system in a wide range from the classical Wigner crystal to almost free gas of fermions. The most efforts are made to study the mechanism of the structural and insulator-metal transitions. We show that both transitions are determined by the energy band of the defect with the lowest energy in the Wigner crystal.

The systems exhibiting quantum phase transitions (QPT) are investigated within the Ising model in the transverse field and Heisenberg model with easy-plane single-site anisotropy. Near QPT a correspondence between parameters of these models and of quantum phi^4 model is established. A scaling analysis is performed for the ground-state properties. The influence of the external longitudinal magnetic field on the ground-state properties is investigated, and the corresponding magnetic susceptibility is calculated. Finite-temperature properties are considered with the use of the scaling analysis for the effective classical model proposed by Sachdev. Analytical results for the ordering temperature and temperature dependences of the magnetization and energy gap are obtained in the case of a small ground-state moment. The forms of dependences of observable quantities on the bare splitting (or magnetic field) and renormalized splitting turn out to be different. A comparison with numerical calculations and experimental data on systems demonstrating magnetic and structural transitions (e.g., into singlet state) is performed.

We evaluate the microwave admittance of a one-dimensional chain of fluxonium qubits coupled by shared inductors. Despite its simplicity, this system exhibits a rich phase diagram. A critical applied magnetic flux separates a homogeneous ground state from a phase with a ground state exhibiting inhomogeneous persistent currents. Depending on the parameters of the array, the phase transition may be a conventional continuous one, or of a commensurate-incommensurate nature. Furthermore, quantum fluctuations affect the transition and possibly lead to the presence of gapless "floating phases". The signatures of the soft modes accompanying the transitions appear as a characteristic frequency dependence of the dissipative part of admittance.

We obtain exact solutions of the (2+1) dimensional Dirac oscillator in a homogeneous magnetic field within the Anti-Snyder modified uncertainty relation characterized by a momentum cut-off ($p\leq p_{\text{max}}=1/ \sqrt{\beta}$). In ordinary quantum mechanics ($\beta\to 0$) this system is known to have a single left-right chiral quantum phase transition (QPT). We show that a finite momentum cut-off modifies the spectrum introducing additional quantum phase transitions. It is also shown that the presence of momentum cut-off modifies the degeneracy of the states.

We consider the general problem of estimating an unknown control parameter of an open quantum system. We establish a direct relation between the evolution of both system and environment and the precision with which the parameter can be estimated. We show that when the open quantum system undergoes a first-order dynamical phase transition the quantum Fisher information (QFI), which gives the upper bound on the achievable precision of any measurement of the system and environment, becomes quadratic in observation time (cf. "Heisenberg scaling"). In fact, the QFI is identical to the variance of the dynamical observable that characterises the phases that coexist at the transition, and enhanced scaling is a consequence of the divergence of the variance of this observable at the transition point. This identification allows to establish the finite time scaling of the QFI. Near the transition the QFI is quadratic in time for times shorter than the correlation time of the dynamics. In the regime of enhanced scaling the optimal measurement whose precision is given by the QFI involves measuring both system and output. As a particular realisation of these ideas, we describe a theoretical scheme for quantum enhanced phase estimation using the photons being emitted from a quantum system near the coexistence of dynamical phases with distinct photon emission rates.

The realization of a genuine phase transition in quantum mechanics requires that at least one of the Kato's exceptional-point parameters becomes real. A new family of finite-dimensional and time-parametrized quantum-lattice models with such a property is proposed and studied. All of them exhibit, at a real exceptional-point time $t=0$, the Jordan-block spectral degeneracy structure of some of their observables sampled by Hamiltonian $H(t)$ and site-position $Q(t)$. The passes through the critical instant $t=0$ are interpreted as schematic simulations of non-equivalent versions of the Big-Bang-like quantum catastrophes.

We study phase transitions driven by fermionic double-trace deformations in gauge-gravity duality. Both the strength of the double trace deformation and the infrared conformal dimension/self-energy scaling of the quasiparticle can be used to decrease the critical temperature to zero, leading to a line of quantum critical points. The self-energy scaling is controlled indirectly through an applied magnetic field and the quantum phase transition naturally involves the condensation of a fermion bilinear which models the spin density wave in an antiferromagnetic state. The nature of the quantum critical points depends on the parameters and we find either a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless-type transition or one of two distinct second order transitions with non-mean field exponents. One of these is an anomalous branch where the order parameter of constituent non-Fermi liquid quasiparticles is enhanced by the magnetic field. Stabilization of ordered non-Fermi liquids by a strong magnetic field is observed in experiments with highly oriented pyrolytic graphite.

We propose a new approach to quantum phase transitions in terms of the density-functional fidelity, which measures the similarity between density distributions of two ground states in parameter space. The key feature of the approach, as we will show, is that the density-functional fidelity can be measured easily in experiments. Both the validity and versatility of the approach are checked by the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model and the one-dimensional Hubbard model.

We investigate the quantum phase transitions in the half-filled Hubbard model on the triangular lattice by means of the path-integral renormalization group (PIRG) method with a new iteration scheme proposed recently. It is found that as the Hubbard interaction $U$ increases, the paramagnetic metallic state undergoes a first-order phase transition to a nonmagnetic insulating (NMI) state at $U_{c1}\sim 7.7t$, which is followed by another first-order transition to a $120^\circ$ N\'eel ordered state at $U_{c2}\sim 10t$, where $t$ is the transfer integral. Our results ensure the existence of the intermediate NMI phase, and resolve some controversial arguments on the nature of the previously proposed quantum phase transitions. We find that $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu$_2$(CN)$_3$ is located in the NMI phase close to the metal-insulator transition point.

Under successive Renormalization Group transformations applied to a quantum state $\ket{\Psi}$ of finite correlation length $\xi$, there is typically a loss of entanglement after each iteration. How good it is then to replace $\ket{\Psi}$ by a product state at every step of the process? In this paper we give a quantitative answer to this question by providing first analytical and general proofs that, for translationally invariant quantum systems in one spatial dimension, the global geometric entanglement per region of size $L \gg \xi$ diverges with the correlation length as $(c/12) \log{(\xi/\epsilon)}$ close to a quantum critical point with central charge $c$, where $\epsilon$ is a cut-off at short distances. Moreover, the situation at criticality is also discussed and an upper bound on the critical global geometric entanglement is provided in terms of a logarithmic function of $L$.

We apply the fidelity metric approach to analyze two recently introduced models that exhibit a quantum phase transition to a topologically ordered phase. These quantum models have a known connection to classical statistical mechanical models; we exploit this mapping to obtain the scaling of the fidelity metric tensor near criticality. The topological phase transitions manifest themselves in divergences of the fidelity metric across the phase boundaries. These results provide evidence that the fidelity approach is a valuable tool to investigate novel phases lacking a clear characterization in terms of local order parameters.

It is commonly believed that in confining vector-like gauge theories the center and chiral symmetry realizations are parametrically entangled, and if phase transitions occur, they must take place around the strong scale $\Lambda^{-1}$ of the gauge theory. We demonstrate that (non-thermal) vector-like theories formulated on ${\mathbb R}^{3} \times S^1$ where $S^1$ is a spatial circle exhibit new dynamical scales and new phenomena. There are chiral phase transitions taking place at $\Lambda^{-1}/N_c$ in the absence of any change in center symmetry. $\Lambda^{-1}/N_c$, invisible in (planar) perturbation theory, is also the scale where abelian versus non-abelian confinement regimes meet. Large $N_c$ volume independence (a working Eguchi-Kawai reduction) provides new insights and independently confirms the existence of these scales. We show that certain phases and scales are outside the reach of holographic (supergravity) modeling of QCD.

We prove that lattice quantum systems may undergo a first-order quantum phase transition through a general mechanism which consists in an infinite dilution of the states associated to (or, more in general, near to) the lowest energy levels. The equation giving the critical point is derived and discussed at several degrees of generalizations: given an infinitesimal portion of the Fock space, i.e., the cavity space, and its complement, i.e., the reservoir space, in the thermodynamic limit, a first-order quantum phase transition takes place when the cavity and reservoir energies are equal. A comparison with some particular exact solvable cases as, e.g., the Quantum Rem model, is made.

We present an optical cavity QED configuration that is described by a dissipative version of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model of an infinitely coordinated spin system. This open quantum system exhibits both first- and second-order non-equilibrium quantum phase transitions as a single, effective field parameter is varied. Light emitted from the cavity offers measurable signatures of the critical behavior, including that of the spin-spin entanglement.

We study continuous quantum phase transitions that can occur in bilayer fractional quantum Hall (FQH) systems as the interlayer tunneling and interlayer repulsion are tuned. We introduce a slave-particle gauge theory description of a series of continuous transitions from the (ppq) Abelian bilayer states to a set of non-Abelian FQH states, which we dub the orbifold FQH states, of which the Z4 parafermion (Read-Rezayi) state is a special case. This provides an example in which Z2 electron fractionalization leads to non-Abelian topological phases. The naive "ideal" wave functions and ideal Hamiltonians associated with these orbifold states do not in general correspond to incompressible phases, but instead lie at a nearby critical point. We discuss this unusual situation from the perspective of the pattern of zeros/vertex algebra frameworks and discuss implications for the conceptual foundations of these approaches. Due to the proximity in the phase diagram of these non-Abelian states to the (ppq) bilayer states, they may be experimentally relevant, both as candidates for describing the plateaus in single-layer systems at filling fraction 8/3 and 12/5, and as a way to tune to non-Abelian states in double-layer or wide quantum wells.

Ground-state behaviour of the frustrated quantum spin-1/2 two-leg ladder with the Heisenberg intra-rung and Ising inter-rung interactions is examined in detail. The investigated model is transformed to the quantum Ising chain with composite spins in an effective transverse and longitudinal field by employing either the bond-state representation or the unitary transformation. It is shown that the ground state of the Heisenberg-Ising ladder can be descended from three exactly solvable models: the quantum Ising chain in a transverse field, the 'classical' Ising chain in a longitudinal field or the spin-chain model in a staggered longitudinal-transverse field. The last model serves in evidence of the staggered bond phase with alternating singlet and triplet bonds on the rungs of two-leg ladder, which appears at moderate values of the external magnetic field and consequently leads to a fractional plateau at a half of the saturation magnetization. The ground-state phase diagram totally consists of five ordered and one quantum disordered phase, which are separated from each other either by the lines of discontinuous or continuous quantum phase transitions. The order parameters are exactly calculated for all five ordered phases and the quantum disordered phase is characterized through different short-range spin-spin correlations.

Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in qubit systems are known to produce singularities in the entanglement, which could in turn be used to probe the QPT. Current proposals to measure the entanglement are challenging however, because of their nonlocal nature. Here we show that a double quantum dot coupled locally to a spin chain provides an alternative and efficient probe of QPTs. We propose an experiment to observe a QPT in a triple dot, based on the well-known singlet projection technique.

ABC-stacked trilayer graphene's chiral band structure results in three ($n=0,1,2$) Landau level orbitals with zero kinetic energy. This unique feature has important consequences on the interaction driven states of the 12-fold degenerate (including spin and valley) N=0 Landau level. In particular, at many filling factors $\nu_{T} =\pm5,\pm4,\pm2,\pm1$ a quantum phase transition from a quantum Hall liquid state to a triangular charge density wave occurs as a function of the single-particle induced LL orbital splitting $\Delta_{LL}$. This phase transition should be characterized by a re-entrant integer quantum Hall effect with the Hall conductivity corresponding to the {\it adjacent} interaction driven integer quantum Hall plateau.

Motivated by the quantum adiabatic algorithm (QAA), we consider the scaling of the Hamiltonian gap at quantum first order transitions, generally expected to be exponentially small in the size of the system. However, we show that a quantum antiferromagnetic Ising chain in a staggered field can exhibit a first order transition with only an algebraically small gap. In addition, we construct a simple classical translationally invariant one-dimensional Hamiltonian containing nearest-neighbour interactions only, which exhibits an exponential gap at a thermodynamic quantum first-order transition of essentially topological origin. This establishes that (i) the QAA can be successful even across first order transitions but also that (ii) it can fail on exceedingly simple problems readily solved by inspection, or by classical annealing.

Finite topological quantum systems can undergo continuous metastable quantum phase transitions to change their topological nature. Here we show how to nucleate the transition between ring currents and dark soliton states in a toroidally trapped Bose-Einstein condensate. An adiabatic passage to wind and unwind its phase is achieved by explicit global breaking of the rotational symmetry. This could be realized with current experimental technology.

We study the quantum phase transitions of a model that describes the interconversion of interacting bosonic atoms and molecules. Using a classical analysis, we identify a threshold coupling line separating a molecular phase and a mixed phase. Through studies of the energy gap, von Neumann entanglement entropy, and fidelity, we give evidence that this line is associated to a boundary line in the ground-state phase diagram of the quantum system.

We find a series of possible continuous quantum phase transitions between fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states at the same filling fraction in two-component quantum Hall systems. These can be driven by tuning the interlayer tunneling and/or interlayer repulsion. One side of the transition is the Halperin (p,p,p-3) Abelian two-component state while the other side is the non-Abelian Z4 parafermion (Read-Rezayi) state. We predict that the transition is a continuous transition in the 3D Ising class. The critical point is described by a Z2 gauged Ginzburg-Landau theory. These results have implications for experiments on two-component systems at \nu = 2/3 and single-component systems at \nu = 8/3.

The work that we present in this thesis tries to be at the crossover of quantum information science, quantum many-body physics, and quantum field theory. We use tools from these three fields to analyze problems that arise in the interdisciplinary intersection. More concretely, in Chapter 1 we consider the irreversibility of renormalization group flows from a quantum information perspective by using majorization theory and conformal field theory. In Chapter 2 we compute the entanglement of a single copy of a bipartite quantum system for a variety of models by using techniques from conformal field theory and Toeplitz matrices. The entanglement entropy of the so-called Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model is computed in Chapter 3, showing analogies with that of (1+1)-dimensional quantum systems. In Chapter 4 we apply the ideas of scaling of quantum correlations in quantum phase transitions to the study of quantum algorithms, focusing on Shor's factorization algorithm and quantum algorithms by adiabatic evolution solving an NP-complete and the searching problems. Also, in Chapter 5 we use techniques originally inspired by condensed-matter physics to develop classical simulations, using the so-called matrix product states, of an adiabatic quantum algorithm. Finally, in Chapter 6 we consider the behavior of some families of quantum algorithms from the perspective of majorization theory. The structure within each Chapter is such that the last section always summarizes the basic results. Some general conclusions and possible future directions are briefly discussed in Chapter 7. Appendix A, Appendix B and Appendix C respectively deal with some basic notions on majorization theory, conformal field theory, and classical complexity theory.

Quantum phase transitions occur at zero temperature when some non-thermal control-parameter like pressure or chemical composition is changed. They are driven by quantum rather than thermal fluctuations. In this review we first give a pedagogical introduction to quantum phase transitions and quantum critical behavior emphasizing similarities with and differences to classical thermal phase transitions. We then illustrate the general concepts by discussing a few examples of quantum phase transitions occurring in electronic systems. The ferromagnetic transition of itinerant electrons shows a very rich behavior since the magnetization couples to additional electronic soft modes which generates an effective long-range interaction between the spin fluctuations. We then consider the influence of rare regions on quantum phase transitions in systems with quenched disorder, taking the antiferromagnetic transitions of itinerant electrons as a primary example. Finally we discuss some aspects of the metal-insulator transition in the presence of quenched disorder and interactions.

Superfluidity of spatially separated electrons and holes and unbalanced two-layer electron system in high magnetic field is considered. The temperature of the Kosterlitz-Thouless transition to a superfluid state is obtained as a function of magnetic field and interlayer separation. The equation of state for magnetoexciton system in quasi-classical regime is analyzed. The transition from excitonic phase to electron-hole phase is considered. Possible experimental manifestations of the predicted effects are briefly discussed.