Talks

We explore approaches to systems of forms with differing degrees which use the ‘repulsion’ technique. This would allow for example asymptotic formulas for the density of solutions to nonsingular systems of Diophantine inequalities in sufficiently many variables.

Random unitaries form the backbone of numerous components of quantum technologies, and serve as indispensable toy models for complex processes in quantum many-body physics. In all of these applications, a crucial consideration is in what circuit depth a random unitary can be generated. I will present recent work, in which we show that local quantum circuits can form random unitaries in exponentially lower circuit depths than previously thought. We prove that random quantum circuits on any geometry, including a 1D line, can form approximate unitary designs over n qubits in log n depth. In a similar manner, we construct pseudorandom unitaries (PRUs) in 1D circuits in poly log n depth, and in all-to-all-connected circuits in poly log log n depth. These shallow quantum circuits have low complexity and create only short-range entanglement, yet are indistinguishable from unitaries with exponential complexity. Applications of our results include proving that classical shadows with 1D log-depth Clifford circuits are as powerful as those with deep circuits, demonstrating superpolynomial quantum advantage in learning low-complexity physical systems, and establishing quantum hardness for recognizing phases of matter with topological order.

We explore approaches to systems of forms with differing degrees which use the ‘repulsion’ technique. This would allow for example asymptotic formulas for the density of solutions to nonsingular systems of Diophantine inequalities in sufficiently many variables.

I will discuss the problem of obtaining an asymptotic formula for counting integral solutions to an equation of the form f(x, y, z, w)=N in an expanding box, where N is a non-zero integer and f is an indefinite quadratic form over the integers. For forms of the shape axy-bzw, I will then explain how we can obtain a significantly strong error term by applying deep methods from the spectral theory of automorphic forms. This is a joint work with Rachita Guria.

One surprising phenomenon in frustrated magnets is the order-by-disorder mechanism: thermal and/or quantum fluctuations lift a macroscopic accidental degeneracy of the classical ground state of frustrated magnets. The resulting magnetically ordered-by-(thermal/quantum)disorder state often breaks a real-space symmetry of the crystal lattice. In this talk, we use symmetry arguments, perturbation theory, and Monte Carlo simulations to pedagogically introduce the order by disorder mechanism on the J1-J2 Heisenberg model on a square lattice and to the easy-plane pyrochlores. In addition, we investigate the effects of impurities (vacancies, chemical doping, etc.) on the resulting ordered state. Because inhomogeneities generically break real-space symmetries, it couples to the order-parameter as a conjugate field. Consequently, non-perturbative effects destabilize the ordered-by-disorder state at sufficiently low dimensions preempting any phase transition.

UTe₂ is an intriguing recently discovered superconductor that exhibits a wide range of exotic properties. Experimental evidence increasingly supports spin-triplet pairing, and under pressure or in magnetic fields, UTe₂ displays multiple superconducting phases, including a remarkable reentrant phase above 40 T. However, conflicting results persist regarding the presence of chiral and time-reversal symmetry breaking. Recent STM measurements have identified a charge density wave in the normal state, which couples with the superconducting state at lower temperatures to form a pair density wave. In this talk, I will provide an overview of the latest developments in understanding the unconventional superconductivity of UTe₂.