UNC Physics Colloquium

Chong Zu, Washington University

“Emergent hydrodynamics in a strongly interacting dipolar spin ensemble in diamond.”

Abstract
Conventional wisdom holds that macroscopic classical phenomena naturally emerge from microscopic quantum laws. However, building direct connections between these two descriptions has remained an enduring scientific challenge. In particular, it is difficult to quantitatively predict the emergent ‘classical’ properties of a system (for example, diffusivity, viscosity and compressibility) from a generic microscopic quantum Hamiltonian. Here we introduce a hybrid solid-state spin platform in diamond, where the underlying disordered, dipolar quantum Hamiltonian gives rise to the emergence of unconventional spin diffusion at nanometre length scales [1]. In particular, the combination of positional disorder and on-site random fields leads to diffusive dynamics that are Fickian yet non-Gaussian. Finally, by tuning the underlying parameters within the spin Hamiltonian via a combination of static and driven fields, we demonstrate direct control over the emergent spin diffusion coefficient. If time permits, I will end by describing our recent efforts to realize a quantum simulation platform based upon spin defects in 2D [2].

[1] C. Zu, et al., Nature 597, 45-50 (2021)
[2] E. Davis, et al., arXiv:2103.12742 (2021)

Zoom link: https://unc.zoom.us/j/95960889513?pwd=WEdiTS9kRi9zZVNoVkcwcyswdlkrUT09

Meeting ID: 959 6088 9513
Passcode: 205359