Nonequilibrium physics of a density difference dependent Hamiltonian: Quantum scarring in the presence of dynamical gauge fields and chiral symmetry
Phys. Rev. B 114, 024302 – Published 1 July, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/c7gj-rsv2
Abstract
Quantum many-body scars represent a form of weak ergodicity breaking that highlights the unusual physics of thermalization in quantum systems. Understanding scar formation promises insight into the connection between classical statistical mechanics and the quantum world. The existence of quantum many-body scars calls into question how the macroscopic world can arise from the Schrödinger equation. In this work, we demonstrate the existence of quantum many-body scars in the density difference dependent Hamiltonian. This Hamiltonian has a particular manifestation of chiral symmetry due to its interaction being neither attractive nor repulsive a priori, but depending on the configuration. As a result of this symmetry and peculiar interaction, we find that this system hosts two different classes of quantum scars: a charge density wave ordered scar and an edge-mode scar. We establish the existence of these scars by examining the entanglement entropy of the system as well as demonstrating robust thermalization breaking time dynamics. For each, we propose simple mechanisms that give rise to these scars which may be applicable to other systems.
