Nonlinear two-level dynamics of quantum time crystals

S. Autti*, P. J. Heikkinen, J. Nissinen, J. T. Mäkinen, G. E. Volovik, V. V. Zavyalov, V. B. Eltsov

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)
72 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A time crystal is a macroscopic quantum system in periodic motion in its ground state. In our experiments, two coupled time crystals consisting of spin-wave quasiparticles (magnons) form a macroscopic two-level system. The two levels evolve in time as determined intrinsically by a nonlinear feedback, allowing us to construct spontaneous two-level dynamics. In the course of a level crossing, magnons move from the ground level to the excited level driven by the Landau-Zener effect, combined with Rabi population oscillations. We demonstrate that magnon time crystals allow access to every aspect and detail of quantum-coherent interactions in a single run of the experiment. Our work opens an outlook for the detection of surface-bound Majorana fermions in the underlying superfluid system, and invites technological exploitation of coherent magnon phenomena – potentially even at room temperature.

Original languageEnglish
Article number3090
Pages (from-to)1-9
Number of pages9
JournalNature Communications
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jun 2022
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

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  • -: EMP

    01/01/201931/12/2024

    Project: EU H2020 Framework program

  • TOPVAC: From Topological Matter to Relativistic Quantum Vacuum

    Volovik, G. (Principal investigator)

    01/10/201630/09/2022

    Project: EU: ERC grants

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