• Accepted Paper

Relation between string order parameters, entanglement, and dynamical quantum phase transitions in topological dynamics

Sirshendu Bhattacharyya, Szczepan Głodzik, and Nicholas Sedlmayr

Phys. Rev. B - Accepted 2 November, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/znfm-3c7x

Abstract

Topological order is defined by topological invariants, rather than symmetries and local order parameters. Nonetheless some topological phases can be characterized by string order parameters and entanglement. In this article we study how string order parameters and entanglement spectra behave out-of-equilibrium following quenches in one dimensional topological models with Z invariants. Previously it has been suggested that string order parameters could serve as an experimental probe of dynamical quantum phase transitions. Despite the existence of clear zeroes in the order parameters at critical times, we show that in general there is no exact quantitative or qualitative connection with the critical times of dynamical quantum phase transitions. Another possible connection is of dynamical string order parameter zeroes and dynamical crossings at the center of entanglement spectra. Here we see that there can sometimes be a connection, but it is not typical. Again there is no general quantitative or qualitative connection. Each dynamical form of criticality behaves independently, though we do see that critical times tend to be of the same order of magnitude and give an argument for why this is the case. We also find that a string order parameter which labels one topological phase can undergo non-trivial dynamics even following a quench between other topological phases. We elucidate where connections can be made, and where they result from a consideration of insufficiently general models. These results cast doubt on the idea of genuine dynamical phases following quenches in such models.

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation

If the author has provided any supplemental materials with this article they will be available upon publication of the version of record.

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation