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Disorder-Free Localization and Fragmentation in a Non-Abelian Lattice Gauge Theory

Giovanni Cataldi1,2,3,4,6,*, Giuseppe Calajó2,1, Pietro Silvi1,2,3, Simone Montangero1,2,3, and Jad C. Halimeh4,5,6,†

  • *Contact author: giovanni.cataldi@mpq.mpg.de
  • †Contact author: jad.halimeh@physik.lmu.de
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 170401 – Published 30 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fhfy-dh85

Abstract

We investigate how isolated quantum many-body systems dynamically equilibrate under non-Abelian gauge-symmetry constraints. By encoding gauge superselection sectors into static SU(2) background charges, we map out the dynamical phase diagram of a (1+1)D SU(2) lattice gauge theory with dynamical matter. We uncover three distinct regimes: (i) an ergodic phase, (ii) a fragmented phase that is nonthermal but delocalized, and (iii) a disorder-free many-body localized regime. In the latter, a superposition of gauge superselection sectors preserves spatial matter inhomogeneities in time, as evidenced by distinct temporal scalings of entropy. We highlight the non-Abelian nature of these phases and argue for potential realizations on qudit processors.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 170401– Published 30 April, 2026
  • Received 28 May 2025
  • Revised 23 December 2025
  • Accepted 17 March 2026
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