Nonequilibrium Hole Dynamics in Antiferromagnets: Damped Strings and Polarons

Abstract

We develop a nonperturbative theory for hole dynamics in antiferromagnetic spin lattices, as described by the $t$-$J$ model. This is achieved by generalizing the selfconsistent Born approximation to nonequilibrium systems, making it possible to calculate the full time-dependent many-body wave function. Our approach reveals three distinct dynamical regimes, ultimately leading to the formation of magnetic polarons. Following the initial ballistic stage of the hole dynamics, coherent formation of string excitations gives rise to characteristic oscillations in the hole density. Their damping eventually leaves behind magnetic polarons that undergo ballistic motion with a greatly reduced velocity. The developed theory provides a rigorous framework for understanding nonequilibrium physics of defects in quantum magnets and quantitatively explains recent observations from cold-atom quantum simulations in the strong coupling regime.

17 pages, 7 figures

References in corpus (5)

• Single-Atom Resolved Fluorescence Imaging of an Atomic Mott Insulator
• Competing magnetic orders in a bilayer Hubbard model with ultracold atoms
• Microscopic spinon-chargon theory of magnetic polarons in the t-J model
• Magnetic polaron and antiferro-ferromagnetic transition in doped bilayer CrI${}_3$
• Spatial structure of magnetic polarons in strongly interacting antiferromagnets

Cited by in corpus (17)

• Pairing of holes by confining strings in antiferromagnets
• Holes and magnetic polarons in a triangular lattice antiferromagnet
• Finite-Temperature Hole-Magnon Dynamics in an Antiferromagnet
• Exact dynamics of two holes in two-leg antiferromagnetic ladders
• Wave function and spatial structure of polarons in an antiferromagnetic bilayer
• Exciton interacting with a moiré lattice: Polarons, strings, and optical probing of spin correlations
• Machine-learning the spectral function of a hole in a quantum antiferromagnet
• Kinetic magnetism in the crossover between the square and triangular lattice Fermi-Hubbard models
• Particle zoo in a doped spin chain: Correlated states of mesons and magnons
• Dual Spectroscopy of Quantum Simulated Fermi-Hubbard Systems
• Probing a quantum spin liquid with equilibrium and nonequilibrium hole dynamics
• Thermally induced localization of dopants in a magnetic spin ladder
• Spin-charge bound states and emerging fermions in a quantum spin liquid
• Dopant pairing in a disordered magnetic spin ladder
• Beyond fragmented dopant dynamics in quantum spin lattices: Robust localization and non-Gaussian diffusion
• Localized dopant motion across the 2D Ising phase transition
• Exciton interacting with the phonons of an electronic Wigner crystal