Avoiding Thermalization in Lattice Gauge Theories

by Thea Budde (ETH Zürich)

Monday 19 Jan 2026, 15:15 → 17:15 Europe/Berlin

Nußallee 14-16/0.023 (HISKP) - Seminar Room II (HISKP)

Quantum simulations provide an avenue towards studying the real-time dynamics of lattice gauge theories, opening entirely new questions. While it is typically expected that generic non-integrable quantum systems thermalize, numerous exceptions have emerged in recent years. Lattice gauge theories are prominent examples and provide a rich setting to explore these phenomena. Because these models feature a local symmetry at every lattice site, their Hilbert space fragments into an exponentially large number of dynamically disconnected sectors, often lacking translational invariance. This fragmentation leads to localized dynamics even in the absence of disorder. Moreover, many of these models host quantum many-body scars, special non-thermal eigenstates that produce prolonged oscillations and prevent thermalization within individual sectors.
In this talk, I will discuss different types of ergodicity breaking found in many of these models, highlighting U(1) pure gauge theories as an example. These results offer an intriguing perspective on how symmetries and dynamical constraints influence quantum dynamics.